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Synonyms

executive officer

American  

noun

  1. the officer second in command of a military or naval organization.

  2. an officer charged with executive duties, as in a corporation.

executive officer British  

noun

  1.  XO.  the second-in-command of any of certain military units

  2. a specialist seaman officer, responsible under the captain for the routine efficient running of the ship in the US, British (formerly), and certain other navies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of executive officer

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Judson Althoff, chief executive officer of Microsoft’s commercial business, recently said that the company has hit “audacious goals” for its Copilot sales in the March quarter, according to a Bloomberg report.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

The gap between the two prices is historic, according to Gary Ross, chief executive officer of Black Gold Investors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Silvio Napoli, former Chairman and CEO of Schindler Group, will take over as Lucid’s next chief executive officer.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Prosecutors say Robert Sabiron Rubillar and Liezyl Rubillar, the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of Legal Systems Billing Solutions, masterminded the scheme.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

“Would my executive officer like to address the hogs?”

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.