commissary

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A store that sells food and supplies to a particular group, such as soldiers or prisoners.

   Grammar: Countable noun; often used with 'the' in specific contexts like 'the prison commissary'.

   Patterns

   • the commissary
   • at the commissary
   • a commissary on base

   Soldiers can buy snacks and toiletries at the base commissary.

   Inmates are allowed to purchase items from the prison commissary once a week.

   The film crew grabbed coffee at the studio commissary before shooting.

2. 2nouncountable

   A cafeteria or dining hall, especially one in a studio, military base, or institution.

   Grammar: Countable noun; often refers to the physical place where people eat.

   Patterns

   • eat at the commissary
   • the studio commissary

   We had lunch at the commissary with the director.

   The hospital commissary serves hot meals three times a day.

   The commissary was crowded during the lunch rush.

Word forms

Common combinations

base commissary

The base commissary offers discounts to military families.

prison commissary

He bought stamps and a notebook from the prison commissary.

studio commissary

Actors often meet at the studio commissary.

commissary privileges

Only residents have commissary privileges.

Synonyms and how they differ

canteen

A small store or cafeteria, often in a workplace or military setting; 'commissary' is more formal and specific to institutions.

PX

A military retail store, especially for the U.S. Army and Air Force; 'commissary' mainly sells food, while PX sells a wider range of goods.

cafeteria

A self-service restaurant; 'commissary' often implies it is for a specific group and may also sell groceries.

Word family

commissariat noun

A department responsible for food and supplies, especially in the military.

Commonly confused: commissary or commissionary?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “commissary”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words