\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.