mis·sion·ary
ˈmi-shə-ˌner-ē 
plural missionaries
: a person undertaking a mission and especially a religious mission
Several years ago, when I was working as a reporter based in Haiti, I came upon a group of older Christian missionaries in the mountains above Port-au-Prince … They were there to build a school alongside a Methodist church.—
Jacob Kushner
Jacob KushnerHawaiian Pidgin English developed during the 1800s and early 1900s, when immigrant laborers from China, Portugal, and the Philippines arrived to work in the plantations; American missionaries also came around that time.—Alia Wong
Alia Wong1
: relating to, engaged in, or devoted to missions
2
: characteristic of a missionary
Examples of missionary in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025
Peruvians remember the young American priest who became pope
Prevost, who lived in Peru as a missionary in the 1980s and the 1990s, would have heard about these accounts while serving as Bishop of Chiclayo starting in 2014, especially following the publication of Ugaz and Salinas’ bombshell book.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 18 May 2025
Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 22 May 2025
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Worsley did his youth missionary work in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 15 May 2025
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Noun
The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary smiled and waved from the back of the truck to people waving U.S., Peruvian and other national flags, and stopped to bless some babies in the crowd.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025
Peruvians remember the young American priest who became pope
Prevost, who lived in Peru as a missionary in the 1980s and the 1990s, would have heard about these accounts while serving as Bishop of Chiclayo starting in 2014, especially following the publication of Ugaz and Salinas’ bombshell book.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 18 May 2025
Adjective
In this respect, the Pope is hardly an exception, as many Chicago pastors have been sent to do missionary work in Latin America, according to the historian Deborah Kanter.
—Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 22 May 2025
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Worsley did his youth missionary work in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for missionary
Cite this Entry
“Missionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/missionary. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
missionary
1 of 2 adjective
mis·sion·ary
ˈmish-ə-ˌner-ē
1
: relating to, engaged in, or devoted to missions
2
: characteristic of a missionary : zealous
missionary
2 of 2 noun
plural missionaries
: one sent to spread a religious faith among unbelievers or to engage in charitable work with religious support
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