commissary


Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

com·mis·sar·y

 (kŏm′ĭ-sĕr′ē)
n. pl. com·mis·sar·ies
1.
a. A supermarket for military personnel and their dependents, usually located on a military installation.
b. A store where food and equipment are sold, as in a mining camp.
2. A lunchroom or cafeteria, especially one in a film or television studio.
3. A person to whom a special duty is given by a higher authority; a deputy.
[Middle English commissarie, agent, from Medieval Latin commissārius, from Latin commissus, entrusted; see commission.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

commissary

(ˈkɒmɪsərɪ)
n, pl -saries
1. (Commerce) US a shop supplying food or equipment, as in a military camp
2. (Military) army US an officer responsible for supplies and food
3. (Film) US a snack bar or restaurant in a film studio
4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a representative or deputy, esp an official representative of a bishop
[C14: from Medieval Latin commissārius official in charge, from Latin committere to entrust, commit]
commissarial adj
ˈcommissaryˌship n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

com•mis•sar•y

(ˈkɒm əˌsɛr i)

n., pl. -sar•ies.
1. a store that sells food and supplies in a military post, mining camp or lumber camp.
2. a dining room or cafeteria, esp. in a motion-picture studio.
3. a person to whom some responsibility or role is delegated by a superior power; deputy.
4. (in France) a police official.
[1350–1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Medieval Latin commissārius < Latin commiss(us),committere to entrust]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.commissary - a retail store that sells equipment and provisions (usually to military personnel)
post exchange, PX - a commissary on a United States Army post
shop, store - a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services; "he bought it at a shop on Cape Cod"
slop chest - commissary maintained aboard merchant ships to sell merchandise to the crew
small stores - personal items conforming to regulations that are sold aboard ship or at a naval base and charged to the person's pay
armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
2.commissary - a snack bar in a film studio
snack bar, snack counter, buffet - usually inexpensive bar
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

commissary

[ˈkɒmɪsərɪ] N
1. → comisario/a m/f político/a
2. (US) (= shop) → economato m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

commissary

[ˈkɒmɪsəri] n (US) (MILITARY) (= shop) → intendance f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

commissary

n
(Mil) → Intendant m
(= delegate) → Beauftragte(r) mf
(US, Comm) → Laden m → in Lagern/auf Baustellen etc
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Mentioned in ?
References in classic literature ?
Two guards attended the mercer who made him traverse a court and enter a corridor in which were three sentinels, opened a door and pushed him unceremoniously into a low room, where the only furniture was a table, a chair, and a commissary. The commissary was seated in the chair, and was writing at the table.
The two guards led the prisoner toward the table, and upon a sign from the commissary drew back so far as to be unable to hear anything.
View in context
"Gently, senor commissary," said the galley slave at this, "let us have no fixing of names or surnames; my name is Gines, not Ginesillo, and my family name is Pasamonte, not Parapilla as you say; let each one mind his own business, and he will be doing enough."
"Speak with less impertinence, master thief of extra measure," replied the commissary, "if you don't want me to make you hold your tongue in spite of your teeth."
View in context
His proposal of marriage being accepted by the lady, the commissary took his seat behind the proprieties with great decorum, and Mrs General drove until the commissary died.
The commissary having been buried with all the decorations suitable to the service (the whole team of proprieties were harnessed to his hearse, and they all had feathers and black velvet housings with his coat of arms in the corner), Mrs General began to inquire what quantity of dust and ashes was deposited at the bankers'.
View in context
"I refuse to know or to do anything before the commissary arrives," declared Mercier.
View in context
They take with them a quantity of food, and when the commissary department fails they "skirmish," as Jack terms it in his sinful, slangy way.
View in context
"Brooke is commander in chief, I am commissary general, the other fellows are staff officers, and you, ladies, are company.
"Commissary general, will you make the fire and get water, while Miss March, Miss Sallie, and I spread the table?
View in context
At the door he met the commissary of police, who was waiting for him.
View in context
The worthy Commissary General of the Carlist forces was under the impression that I was looking at him; but what I had in my eye was a jumble of butterfly women and winged youths and the soft sheen of Argand lamps gleaming on an arrow of gold in the hair of a head that seemed to evade my outstretched hand.
View in context

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?