missionary
missionary — noun
1. someone who travels to a different country as part of their faith's outreach, he
someone who travels to a different country as part of their faith's outreach, helping local people understand their religion and often providing services such as education, healthcare, or community building.
The missionary from Thailand set up a small clinic in the mountain village.
collocation: missionary from [country]
Many missionaries learn the local language before traveling to their assigned region.
pattern: missionaries + learn + language
Putri's grandmother worked as a missionary in rural Kenya for more than twenty years.
The young missionary taught village children to read while sharing stories from her faith.
After returning from West Africa, the missionary gave talks at churches across Taiwan.
- evangelist
emphasises preaching the Christian gospel rather than providing services like education or medicine
- apostle
refers specifically to the twelve early followers of Jesus sent to spread Christianity; strongly tied to biblical contexts
- emissary
a general term for someone sent on a diplomatic or political mission, not specifically religious
文法句型
a missionary + verb
missionary + from [place]
用法筆記
Most commonly associated with Christian faiths, but also used for other religions. Frequently appears with a location phrase: a missionary to [place] or a missionary from [place].
常見錯誤
missionary — adjective
1. connected with the work of sending people to share their faith in other countrie
connected with the work of sending people to share their faith in other countries, or involving the schools, hospitals, and projects that such workers run.
The missionary hospital provided free eye surgery to families in the remote region.
collocation: missionary + hospital / school / clinic
Feng joined a missionary organisation that builds secondary schools in rural Southeast Asia.
The church's missionary budget paid for clean water projects in three African communities.
Asher spent a year in a missionary training programme before moving to Peru.
- evangelical
emphasises a particular style of Christian outreach focused on personal conversion
- apostolic
relates to the authority of the early apostles; narrower and more formal
文法句型
missionary + noun
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). You cannot say 'This work is missionary' — use 'missionary work' or 'mission-related.'
常見錯誤
2. showing the single-minded dedication, patience, and determination that people as
showing the single-minded dedication, patience, and determination that people associate with missionaries — used to describe someone's attitude toward a cause, project, or belief.
The team cleaned up the park with missionary zeal, working from sunrise until dark.
collocation: missionary + zeal / spirit / passion / devotion
Élise's missionary spirit pushed her to keep teaching even when the school had no electricity.
Baraka approached the difficult project with almost missionary devotion.
Rohan's missionary passion for protecting the forest inspired an entire generation of volunteers.
- evangelical
can also describe passionate advocacy, but suggests a pushy or preaching tone; more negative than missionary
- zealous
direct adjective for enthusiasm; lacks the specific flavour of patient, long-term dedication that missionary carries
- half-hearted
describes effort without full commitment
文法句型
missionary + abstract noun (zeal, spirit, passion, devotion)
用法筆記
Used figuratively — the activity is not religious. The noun it modifies is always abstract (zeal, passion, spirit, fervour, dedication) and the tone is positive, suggesting admirable persistence.