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 of commissary

• deputy
• delegate
• representative
• agent
• manager
• attorney
• minister

Examples of commissary in a Sentence

will serve as commissary of religious education for the whole diocese

Recent Examples on the Web

The next closest commissaries are at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield and the Ord Community Commissary in Monterey. —Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026

As part of the Dapper Doughnuts franchise agreement, each storefront also comes with a food trailer, for which the doughnut shop acts as a commissary kitchen. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026

For the first time, his burritos are now available on a regular basis, at Morrell’s Bread in Berkeley on Saturdays from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. People are lining up for the burritos, enveloped in Sonoran-style flour tortillas made at a commissary kitchen just steps away. —Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026

If the soldiers needed medical attention or a commissary, the closest was Fort Sheridan, about 100 miles away from the most distant Nike missile bases in Northwest Indiana. —Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for commissary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

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