Mass.

Geography & Places abbreviation · US State Traditional

Mass. stands for Massachusetts, a US state traditional abbreviation.

Long-established abbreviation for Massachusetts, used in AP datelines (WORCESTER, Mass.), party labels (D-Mass.), the GPO manual, The Bluebook and everyday writing. Residents shorten the name in speech as well, and state agencies build it into names such as MassDOT and MassHealth.

Example: CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Researchers announced the trial results at a news conference on Friday.

Usage notes

On envelopes Massachusetts is MA, assigned in 1963; MS is Mississippi. Mass. is also the ordinary word for a quantity of matter and the Catholic liturgy (Mass), so headlines sometimes spell the state out. The Massachusetts Turnpike is known locally as the Mass Pike.

Related abbreviations

More US state traditional abbreviations

• Del. – Delaware
• Fla. – Florida
• Ill. – Illinois
• Ind. – Indiana
• Kan. – Kansas
• Kans. – Kansas
• Mich. – Michigan
• Minn. – Minnesota
• Miss. – Mississippi
• Mont. – Montana
• N.Dak. – North Dakota
• N.Mex. – New Mexico

See all 36 US state traditional abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.