commissary
English
Etymology
From Late Latin commissarius, from commissus, past participle of committō (“to commit, entrust to”). Doublet of commissar.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkɑmɪˌsɛɹi/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkɒmɪs(ə)ɹi/
- Hyphenation: com‧mis‧sa‧ry
Noun
commissary (plural commissaries)
- A store primarily serving persons in an institution, most often soldiers or prisoners.
- An account which a prisoner uses to buy provisions, or the balance of that account.
- A cafeteria at a movie studio.
- One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by a superior power; a commissioner.
- a. 1631 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “The Progress of the Soul”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, OCLC 1008264503, stanza IV, page 3:
- Great Deſtiny the Commiſſary of God;
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- An officer of the bishop, who exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction in parts of the diocese at a distance from the residence of the bishop.
- 1726, John Ayliffe, Parergon juris canonici Anglicani
- It has been already hinted , that a Commissary, in Latin stiled Commisarius, is a Title of Ecclefiaftical Jurisdiction
- 1726, John Ayliffe, Parergon juris canonici Anglicani
- An officer who supplies provisions to an army.
- (Scotland, law) The judge in a commissary court.
- A higher-ranking police officer.
Coordinate terms
(military shop):
- BX
- PX
- shopette
Derived terms
- commissary general
- commissaryship
Translations
A store primarily serving persons in an institution
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One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by a superior power
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An officer who supplies provisions to an army
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