noun
commissary
An official responsible for supplies.
The commissary checks the army's food supplies before each march.
Etymology
Latin commissarius named someone entrusted with a duty. The supplies official is a specialized delegate, charged with obtaining or overseeing provisions for an organization.
More examples
- Our commissary orders enough flour to feed the entire camp.
- The expedition's commissary keeps a careful record of the remaining provisions.
- Two commissaries arrange deliveries to the troops.
Forms
commissary · commissaries
commissariat noun — Department responsible for supplying an army.
Similar words
- quartermaster
- Usually a military officer managing equipment, lodging, and supplies.
- purser
- Manages a ship's finances and stores, not just its provisions.