noun
CTO
see-tee-OH
CTO (noun) means Chief technology officer: the senior executive responsible for a company's technology — its engineering teams, technical strategy and the products they build. Example: “She left a bank to become CTO of a payments start-up.”
noun
1
Chief technology officer: the senior executive responsible for a company's technology — its engineering teams, technical strategy and the products they build.
"She left a bank to become CTO of a payments start-up."
"The CTO reports directly to the chief executive."
abbreviation
1
technical Compulsory treatment order or community treatment order: a legal order requiring a person to accept psychiatric treatment while living in the community.
"He was discharged from hospital under a CTO."
How to use CTO
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe person in charge of technology at a company.
When to use it
Business standard. Pronounced letter by letter and takes 'a' rather than 'an'.
Memory tip
Job titles like this are capitalised before a name (CTO Maria Lopez) and often written out in full on first mention.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
CTO vs CIO
CTO vs VP of Engineering
CTO vs CEO
Common pairings
CTO of
founding CTO
CTO role
interim CTO
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She left a bank to become _____ of a payments start-up.
Etymology
An initialism of chief technology officer.
Synonyms
View more →
chief technical officer
head of technology
technology director
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a CTO and a CIO?
A CTO usually owns the technology the company sells — the product, the architecture and the engineering roadmap. A CIO owns the technology the company uses internally, such as networks, corporate systems and IT support. In smaller firms one person often covers both.
What is the difference between a CTO and a VP of Engineering?
The CTO sets technical direction and looks outward to architecture, partnerships and long-term strategy. The VP of Engineering runs the organisation day to day — hiring, delivery, process and team health. They are peers, not ranks, in most companies.
Does a CTO still write code?
At an early-stage start-up, usually yes; the CTO may be the most productive engineer on the team. As the company grows the role shifts almost entirely to strategy, architecture review and leadership.
What is the meaning of CTO?
"CTO" (noun) means chief technology officer: the senior executive responsible for a company's technology — its engineering teams, technical strategy and the products they build.
