mission English · revision 2804

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1598|origins=la mittō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmɪʃ.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|mission]] and directly [[bor|la|missiō|t=act of sending; release; discharge from service]] (accusative missiōnem),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|la|missus]], past participle of [[m|la|mittere|t=to let go, send, throw]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) which is of uncertain origin;^(Barnhart 1988) de Vaan traces it to [[ine-pro|*m(e)ith-|t=to exchange, remove]], from which the meaning developed to “give, bring” and “let go, send”.^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster takes it partly from Medieval Latin missiō “task with which one is charged” and New Latin missiō “ministry commissioned by a religious organization”.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The sending of Jesuits abroad on missions: 1598 in the OED,^(OED 1989) the 1590s in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) Barnhart has the general sense, a sending on special work, an errand, from 1598.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A sending or being sent to perform a service, in theology the sending of the Son or the Holy Spirit, is from 1609.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) A body of persons sent abroad, as diplomats, is from the 1620s, and a religious mission for the conversion of non-Christians from 1622, both first in Bacon.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) A missionary post or station is from 1769,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and in American English a permanent embassy from 1805.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The general sense, the thing one is sent to do, is from the 1670s, and a person's purpose in life, as in ''a man on a mission'', by 1805.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The dispatch of an aircraft on a military operation is American English by 1929,^(Etymonline) extended to spacecraft in 1962, hence ''mission control'' (1964).^(Etymonline) ''Missionary'' is from 1656 as a noun and 1644 as an adjective.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb, “to send on a mission”, is from 1692.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1598 – a sending abroad, of Jesuits.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1609 – a sending to perform a service.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1622 – a religious mission.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1626 – a diplomatic mission.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1656 – ''missionary''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1670s – one's assigned task.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1769 – a missionary station.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1805 – one's calling in life.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1929 – a military flight.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1962 – a spaceflight.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A special task or duty that a person or group is sent to carry out; an [[assignment]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A group of people sent abroad, as [[diplomat|alt=diplomats]] or [[missionary|alt=missionaries]], or their permanent office; an [[embassy]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An organization or station for spreading a religion or doing charitable work.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A person's chief purpose or [[vocation]] in life.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A military operation, especially a combat flight; a spaceflight.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To send on a mission.^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[missional]]

+ * [[missionize]]

+ * [[submission]]

+ * [[intermission]]

+ * [[intromission]]

+ * [[permission]]

+ * [[remission]]

+ * [[transmission]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mess]]

+ * [[message]]

+ * [[messenger]]

+ * [[missile]]

+ * [[missionary]]

+ * [[missive]]

+ * [[admit]]

+ * [[admission]]

+ * [[admissible]]

+ * [[commit]]

+ * [[commission]]

+ * [[demit]]

+ * [[demission]]

+ * [[emit]]

+ * [[emission]]

+ * [[intermit]]

+ * [[manumit]]

+ * [[manumission]]

+ * [[omit]]

+ * [[permit]]

+ * [[premise]]

+ * [[pretermit]]

+ * [[promise]]

+ * [[remit]]

+ * [[submit]]

+ * [[surmise]]

+ * [[transmit]]

+ * [[mass]]

+ * [[dismiss]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}