chief executive

American  

[cheef ig-zek-yuh-tiv] / ˈtʃif ɪgˈzɛk jə tɪv /

noun

• chief executives
  plural

1. the president of the United States.

   the powers of the chief executive, as granted by the Constitution.

2. the governor of a U.S. state.

   the newly elected chief executive of Rhode Island.

3. the head of a government.

   a conference attended by all the European chief executives.

4. Also called chief executive officer. the head of an organization, company, etc..

   the chief executive of a media corporation.

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chief executive British  

noun

1. the person with overall responsibility for the efficient running of a company, organization, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chief executives
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of chief executive

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chief executive

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme earlier this week, Thomas Woldbye, the airport's chief executive, said it would be "good to know" the government's position on the project.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

"We are heartbroken by the passing of Hyron," said Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

“The Louvre was a wake-up call that anywhere can be hit,” said Chris Marinello, chief executive and founder of Art Recovery International, a London-based firm that chases down stolen art.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

“It’s actually going to be very confusing” for seniors who may not be aware of the enrollment limits, said Cobi Blumenfeld-Gantz, chief executive of Chapter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

He ran Novell, one of Silicon Valley’s most important software firms, and in 2001, he became the chief executive officer of Google.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

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