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

One item that the commissary list does not include is applesauce, which his lawyer and one witness testified Combs loves and would put on his cheeseburgers. —Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025

The sources of Kohberger's prison funds are not immediately clear, but throughout his case, supporters have claimed to have sent money to his commissary in posts on social media. —Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025

The commissary list does not include applesauce, which one witness testified Combs loves and would put on cheeseburgers. —Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025

Fried chicken lovers visiting a Popeyes drive-thru in Florida were unwittingly paying a prison inmate’s commissary fees, according to investigators. —Mark Price, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2025

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