missionary

/ˈmɪʃ.əˌnɛɹ.ɪ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: missionaries

Sense 1

Meaning · English

One who is sent on a mission.

Noun

Examples

Near-synonym: emissary

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A person who travels attempting to spread a religion or creed (Particularly used in context of Christianity).

Noun

Examples

A missionary was just trying to convert me to his religion.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

Relating to a (religious) mission.

Adjective

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “missionary” mean?

One who is sent on a mission.

Is “missionary” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.