missionary
n. countablen. a person who is sent to a foreign country by a religious group to teach their faith and help people. They often work in schools or hospitals while sharing their beliefs.
n. a person commissioned by a religious organisation to propagate its faith or carry out humanitarian work in a foreign territory. Often associated with proselytism and the establishment of social services in developing regions.
The missionary spent five years teaching English in a small village.
After completing her medical training, she joined a group of missionaries to provide healthcare in remote areas of the Amazon.
Historical accounts of the region often highlight the tension between the missionaries' genuine desire to provide education and the colonial structures that facilitated their arrival.
From mission + -ary.
Commonly used in a religious context, though it can metaphorically describe anyone strongly committed to a cause.