commissary

noun com·mis·sary \ ˈkä-mə-ˌser-ē , -ˌse-rē \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Examples: commissary in a Sentence

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 motion-picture studio

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commissarial

play \ˌkä-mə-ˈsär-ē-əl, -ˈser-\ adjective

See commissary defined for English-language learners

See commissary defined for kids

Examples of commissary in a Sentence

will serve as commissary of religious education for the whole diocese

Recent Examples of commissary from the Web

To transfer $20 to an inmate account to purchase food from the commissary and other provisions, for example, the family pays $4.95.

— mary ellen klas, miamiherald, "Cash-strapped Florida prison agency wants private vendor to profit from inmate visits," 31 May 2018
As part of the project, the Terrace Restaurant is being rethemed into the Waterway Grill, a commissary for people who have been on the expedition.

— dewayne bevil, OrlandoSentinel.com, "SeaWorld Orlando: Rapids, 'appropriate' drenching await on Infinity Falls ride," 29 May 2018
In their letters, the men detail commissary costs, shower allotments and guards’ dispositions.

— theresa vargas, Washington Post, "‘No relief in sight’: Hundreds of Virginia inmates languish in solitary confinement for years, groups find.," 22 May 2018
Military commissaries will soon start selling beer and wine.

— leada gore, AL.com, "Military commissaries to start selling wine, beer," 2 May 2018
The indictments said the gang enriched itself through drug sales, collecting taxes on drugs and even collecting a share of purchases from the jail commissary.

— Washington Post, "Mexican Mafia busted for running crime in LA County jails," 23 May 2018
Prominent supporters of the Bundy family raised money for his commissary account, and called him a political prisoner.

— leah sottile, Longreads, "Bundyville Chapter One: A War in the Desert," 15 May 2018
There is medical help on site and a commissary for those with cash to buy toiletries or snacks.

— leyla santiago, CNN, "Pregnant mom from migrant caravan says life in detention is a relief, but uncertain," 9 May 2018
Competing against Amazon is like competing against the government or a military commissary.

— michael corkery, New York Times, "Grocery Wars Turn Small Chains Into Battlefield Casualties," 26 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'commissary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of commissary

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 ¹-ary — more at commit

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First Known Use: 1555

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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