missionary

American  

[mish-uh-ner-ee] / ˈmɪʃ əˌnɛr i /

noun

plural

missionaries

1. a person sent by a church into an area to carry on evangelism or other activities, as educational or hospital work.

   There are opportunities for student missionaries living abroad to work with people in need of aid, participate in building projects, and share the Gospel.

2. a person strongly in favor of a program, set of principles, etc., who attempts to persuade or convert others.

3. a person who is sent on a mission.

4. missionary position.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or connected with religious missions.

2. engaged in such a mission or devoted to work connected with missions.

3. reflecting or prompted by the desire to persuade or convert others.

   the missionary efforts of political fanatics.

4. characteristic of a missionary.

   missionary zeal.

5. relating to or noting the missionary position.

   Then it was up to the bedroom for some good, old-fashioned missionary sex.

missionary British  

/ ˈmɪʃənərɪ /

noun

1. a member of a religious mission

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adjective

1. of or relating to missionaries

   missionary work

2. resulting from a desire to convert people to one's own beliefs

   missionary zeal

Other Word Forms

• nonmissionary adjective

Etymology

Origin of missionary

First recorded in 1625–35; from New Latin missiōnārius; mission, -ary

Example Sentences

Leo is expected to make several foreign trips this year, including to Africa, Peru, where he worked for two decades as a missionary, and possibly also Spain.

From Barron's

Perhaps less familiar to most readers but no less absorbing is the book’s treatment of colonial Spanish missionaries’ encounter with Aztec rituals.

From The Wall Street Journal

Norwegian priest and missionary Hans Egede set out to reconnect with Greenland and convert whoever was there to Protestantism and found an Inuit community.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bonta, a U.S. citizen, was born in Quezon City, Philippines, in 1972, when his parents were working there as missionaries, and immigrated with his family to California as an infant.

From Los Angeles Times

Some are missionary groups such as United Bible Societies, whose primary activity globally is translating and distributing bibles, and Samaritan’s Purse, a U.S.-based evangelical group that provides medical care and other emergency services.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• clergy
• evangelist
• messenger
• pastor
• preacher
• teacher