Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Commissary
Com′mis-sa-ry
,Noun.
pl.
Commissaries
(#)
. 1.
One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by a superior power; a commissioner.
Great Destiny, the
Commissary
of God. Donne.
2.
(Eccl.)
An officer of the bishop, who exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction in parts of the diocese at a distance from the residence of the bishop.
Ayliffe.
3.
(Mil.)
(a)
An officer having charge of a special service;
as, the
. commissary
of musters(b)
An officer whose business is to provide food for a body of troops or a military post; – officially called
commissary of subsistence
. [U. S.]
Washington wrote to the President of Congress . . . urging the appointment of a commissary general, a quartermaster general, a
commissary
of musters, and a commissary
of artillery. W. Irving
Commissary general
, an officer in charge of some special department of army service
; as: (a)
The officer in charge of the commissariat and transport department, or of the ordnance store department.
[Eng.]
(b)
The commissary general of subsistence.
[U. S.]
– Commissary general of subsistence
(Mil. U. S.)
, the head of the subsistence department, who has charge of the purchase and issue of provisions for the army.
Webster 1828 Edition
Commissary
COMMISSARY
, n.1.
In general sense, a commissioner; one to whom is committed some charge, duty or office, by a superior power; one who is sent or delegated to execute some office or duty, in the place, or as the representative, of his superior.2.
In ecclesiastical law, an officer of the bishop, who exercises spiritual jurisdiction in places of the diocese, so far distant from the episcopal see, that the chancellor cannot call the people to the bishops principal consistory court, without putting them to inconvenience.3.
In a military sense, an officer who has the charge of furnishing provisions, clothing, &c., for an army. Commissaries are distinguished by different names, according to their duties; as commissary-general, who is at the head of the department of supplies, and has under him deputy commissaries, and issuing commissaries; the latter to issue or distribute the supplies.4.
An officer who musters the army, receives and inspects the muster-rolls, and keeps an account of the strength of the army. He is called, the commissary-general of musters. The commissary of horses has the inspection of the artillery horses; and the commissary of stores has charge of all the stores of the artillery.Definition 2024
commissary
commissary
English
Noun
commissary (plural commissaries)
- A store primarily serving persons in an institution, most often soldiers or prisoners.
- A cafeteria at a movie studio.
- One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by a superior power; a commissioner.
- John Donne
- Great Destiny, the Commissary of God
- John Donne
- An officer of the bishop, who exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction in parts of the diocese at a distance from the residence of the bishop.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Ayliffe to this entry?)