Commissary \Com"mis*sa*ry\, n.; pl. Commissaries. [LL. commissarius, fr. L. commissus, p. p. of committere to commit, intrust to. See Commit.]

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)