Commissary /(?)/

Com·mis·sa·ry

Commissary

n.

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. An officer of the bishop, who exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction in parts of the diocese at a distance from the residence of the bishop. (Eccl.)
  3. An officer having charge of a special service; as, the commissary of musters. (Mil.) [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.

Phrases & Compounds

Commissary general
an officer in charge of some special department of army service
Commissary general of subsistence
the head of the subsistence department, who has charge of the purchase and issue of provisions for the army.