misión

Misión is a Spanish feminine noun used to designate an assignment, task, or purpose entrusted to someone, often implying an objective to be achieved. The term is widely used across secular and religious contexts, and can also denote the function or role of an organization (“la misión de la empresa”) or the overall aim of an activity (“la misión de un proyecto”).

In religious contexts, particularly in Catholic and evangelical traditions, misión refers to a mission community or work of evangelization undertaken in a designated area; misioneros are missionaries; misiones can be settlements, centers of worship, schools, or healthcare facilities established to serve local populations.

In organizational and corporate language, “misión” is paired with “visión” and describes the fundamental purpose that guides decisions and operations; “la declaración de misión” is a formal statement outlining the organization’s raison d’être. In humanitarian, military, scientific, and space domains, “misión” names a planned operation aimed at achieving a specific result, such as a humanitarian mission, a military mission, or a space mission (misión espacial). In diplomacy, “misión” can also refer to a diplomatic mission or an embassy staff delegation assigned to another country.

Etymology and usage: the term derives from Latin missio, from mittere “to send.” It is cognate with the English word “mission” and, in many languages, carries similar meanings across religious, organizational, and practical contexts.