A person, typically a man, whose job is to give people massages to relax their muscles.
From French 'masseur' (masculine form), derived from 'masser' (to massage), ultimately from Arabic 'massa' (to touch or handle).
Professional massage therapy has ancient roots in every culture—even Ancient Egypt has tomb paintings of people giving massages, showing humans have always known physical touch heals both body and mind.
French masculine form; masseuse (feminine) was historically the default English term for the profession, reflecting gendering of care work despite its gender neutrality in practice. Modern English has shifted toward masseur/masseuse as interchangeable or dropped gendered forms entirely.
Use 'massage therapist' as profession-neutral term, or use masseur/masseuse only if specifying actual gender of practitioner.
["massage therapist","massage practitioner"]
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