Etimology
Learned borrowing from Latin missiō, missiōnem (“a sending, sending away, dispatching, discharging, release, remission, cessation”).
noun
mission (countable and uncountable, plural missions)
(countable) A set of tasks that fulfills a purpose or duty; an assignment set by an employer, or by oneself.
(uncountable) Religious evangelism.
(in the plural, "the missions") Third World charities, particularly those which preach as well as provide aid.
(countable, Catholicism) An infrequent gathering of religious believers in a parish, usually part of a larger regional event with a central theme.
A number of people appointed to perform any service; a delegation; an embassy.
(obsolete) Dismissal; discharge from service
A settlement or building serving as a base for missionary work.
(slang, drugs) A drug run.
Examples
[I]n either of theſe Ships, there ſhould be a Miſsion of three of the Fellowes, or Brethren of Salomons Houſe; [...]
Many cities across the Americas grew from Spanish missions.
Related words
related terms
mess
message
messenger
missile
missionary
missive
verb
mission (third-person singular simple present missions, present participle missioning, simple past and past participle missioned)
(transitive) To send on a mission.
(intransitive) To do missionary work, proselytize.