CEO

What Does CEO Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

CEO means "Chief Executive Officer" and "Best or Greatest."

More Detail...

Officially, the abbreviation CEO means "Chief Executive Officer" (i.e., the top executive in a company). However, in everyday chat, both online and offline, CEO is used to refer to anyone who is the best at something. In this context, CEO can be used both admiringly and ironically or sarcastically. For example:

She is the CEO of gaming.
He is the CEO of breaking hearts.
I am the CEO of dodging chores.

The responsibilities of the CEO of a company usually include:

Managing the company's overall operations and performance.
Serving as the link between the Board of Directors and other executives (e.g., the CFO and CSR).
Implementing corporate policy.
Leading (in contrast to managing) the company's overall operations.

Sometimes called the President or Managing Director (MD), the CEO is ultimately responsible for a company's success or failure.

Image for CEO

When I write CEO, I mean this:

Informally, CEO is the best or greatest at something.

Summary of Key Points for First Definition

"Best or Greatest" is, by far, the most common meaning for CEO when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

CEO
Definition:	Best or Greatest
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	1: Easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Summary of Key Points for Second Definition

"Chief Executive Officer" is the most common definition for CEO in business circles.

CEO
Definition:	Chief Executive Officer
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	1: Easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at CEO

CEO is used as a noun. When the term is expanded, it is a noun phrase based on the common noun Officer. The words Chief and Executive are attributive adjectives modifying Officer.