Street
commissary
What does commissary mean?
The canteen where prisoners purchase food, hygiene items, and other approved goods from their accounts.
"He spends his whole commissary on soups and coffee."
Origin
From the military/institutional 'commissary' supply store.
Frequently asked questions
What is commissary in prison?
Commissary is the prison store or canteen where inmates buy food, hygiene items, and other approved goods paid for from their accounts.
Does commissary mean the store or the money?
Both. It refers to the store itself and also to what an inmate spends there, as in 'He spends his whole commissary on soups and coffee.'
Where does the word commissary come from?
It comes from the military and institutional term for a supply store, and was carried over to name the prison shop.
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