Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “missionary” come from?

Missionary comes from English mission plus the Latin agentive suffix -arius, derived from Latin -alis and -tio, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root mey- meaning to change or exchange.

missionary (English): One who is sent on a mission; A person who...

Definitions

  1. One who is sent on a mission; A person who...

Ancestry of “missionary”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmissionA set of tasks that fulfills a purpose or duty;...
2Latinmissiō—
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “missionary”

  • antimissionary
  • missionarying
  • nonmissionary
  • missionarylike
  • Mihanere
  • missionaryize
  • mmisionari
  • mikanele
  • hoʻomikanele
  • misinari
  • misineri
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →