commissary

noun

com·​mis·​sary ˈkä-mə-ˌser-ē 

-ˌse-rē

plural commissaries

1

: one delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office

2

a

: a store for equipment and provisions

especially : a supermarket for military personnel

b

: food supplies

c

: a lunchroom especially in a movie studio

commissarial

ˌkä-mə-ˈsär-ē-əl 

-ˈser-

adjective

Synonyms

• agent
• assignee
• attorney
• delegate
• deputy
• envoy
• factor
• minister
• procurator
• proxy
• rep
• representative

Examples of commissary in a Sentence

will serve as commissary of religious education for the whole diocese

Recent Examples on the Web

Sanli originally leased the nearby commissary kitchen for baking and preparing other foods for Lokl Haus and for event catering. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024

Scherer garnished Cruz’ commissary funds until all costs and restitution are paid. —Denise Royal, CNN, 9 Aug. 2024

When Cruz was sentenced to 34 consecutive life sentences — but not the death penalty — in November 2022, the judge ordered that any money deposited into his commissary must also go towards restitution for his victims. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2024

In 2022, the prison newspaper First Amend This! reported on commissary price increases caused by inflation in Idaho. —Phillip Vance Smith, JSTOR Daily, 1 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English commissarie, borrowed from Anglo-French commissaire, commissarie, borrowed from Medieval Latin commissārius, from Latin commissus (past participle of committere "to join together, engage, place in the keeping of, entrust, bring about") + -ārius -ary entry 1 — more at commit

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

commissary

noun

com·​mis·​sary ˈkäm-ə-ˌser-ē 

plural commissaries

1

: a person to whom a duty or office is entrusted by someone of higher rank

2

: a store that provides supplies (as food) especially to members of the military and their families