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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.

See Examples For:

Matthew Fleissig is co-founder and chief executive officer of Pathstone, an investment and wealth advisory firm serving ultrawealthy families, family offices and institutions.

From MarketWatch Jul. 20, 2026

Crew members weren’t happy to go through the strait no matter what was promised to them, said Dimitris Maniatis, founder and chief executive officer of maritime risk company Marisks.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 18, 2026

But the firm's chief executive officer Christophe Fouquet said AI was still pushing his business forward.

From Barron's Jul. 15, 2026

Ronnie Gurr, a former chief executive officer of the Scottish Music Industry Association, told the BBC's Radio Scotland Breakfast programme it was "a very ambitious project whose times has come".

From BBC Jul. 13, 2026

She is like a cross between the chief executive officer of the world’s largest corporation and the chief executive officer of the world’s second largest corporation.

From "The Misfits" by James Howe

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