CPT
Abbreviation with 9 meanings
| Stands for | Captain (US Army) |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 9 |
| Categories | Military, Medical, Transportation & Travel, Business & Finance, Education & Academia |
CPT has nine meanings. The most common are Captain (US Army) (US Army rank) and Cognitive processing therapy (mental health & psychiatry); it can also stand for Current Procedural Terminology, Cape Town International Airport, Certified phlebotomy technician, Chest physiotherapy and Carriage Paid To, plus 2 more listed below.
Meanings of CPT at a glance
| # | CPT stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Captain (US Army) | Military › US Army Rank |
| 2 | Cognitive processing therapy | Medical › Mental Health & Psychiatry |
| 3 | Current Procedural Terminology | Medical › Health Insurance |
| 4 | Cape Town International Airport | Transportation & Travel › Airport Code |
| 5 | Certified phlebotomy technician | Medical › Healthcare Credential |
| 6 | Chest physiotherapy | Medical › Respiratory |
| 7 | Carriage Paid To | Business & Finance › Logistics, Supply Chain & Trade |
| 8 | Certified Personal Trainer | Education & Academia › Professional Certification |
| 9 | Curricular Practical Training | Education & Academia › Academic |
1. Captain (US Army)
Military · US Army Rank Abbreviations
Army officer rank at pay grade O-3, two silver bars. The signature CPT job is company commander, responsible for roughly 60 to 200 soldiers and their equipment; captains also fill battalion and brigade staff positions and lead Special Forces A-teams.
Example: CPT Ellis assumed command of Bravo Company in a ceremony on the parade field Friday.
The Army writes CPT in capitals, while the Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force and British Army write Capt. In the Navy and Coast Guard, CAPT is a far more senior rank at O-6. The two bars are nicknamed "railroad tracks." Army officers typically pin on captain about four years after commissioning and attend a Captains Career Course for their branch.
2. Cognitive processing therapy
Medical · Mental Health & Psychiatry Abbreviations
Trauma-focused psychotherapy for PTSD, usually 12 sessions, that helps patients examine and challenge "stuck points", beliefs about the trauma, themselves and the world that keep them stuck. It is a first-line PTSD treatment in US Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense guidelines.
Example: CPT session 7: stuck point "it was my fault" challenged with worksheets; PCL-5 now 38.
Developed by Patricia Resick in the late 1980s. It can be delivered with or without a written trauma account and works in individual, group and telehealth formats. In billing, CPT means Current Procedural Terminology, the American Medical Association's procedure codes, an unrelated and very common use.
3. Current Procedural Terminology
Medical · Health Insurance Abbreviations
Five-character code set, owned and maintained by the American Medical Association, used to report medical, surgical, radiology, laboratory and other services on US health insurance claims. For example, 99213 is a common established-patient office visit and 85025 a CBC with automated differential.
Example: Bill CPT 99214 for the visit and 93000 for the ECG.
First published in 1966 and updated every year, with new codes effective January 1. Category I codes are numeric, Category II codes (ending in F) track performance measures and Category III codes (ending in T) cover emerging technology. CPT forms Level I of the HCPCS system, and the AMA licenses its use in software.
4. Cape Town International Airport
Transportation & Travel · Airport Code Abbreviations
South Africa's second-busiest airport, located about 20 kilometers east of central Cape Town. It is a major gateway for tourists visiting Table Mountain and the Western Cape wine regions.
Example: Pick up the rental car at CPT and drive straight to Stellenbosch for lunch.
ICAO code FACT. It has frequently been rated the best airport in Africa in passenger surveys. Nonstop flights from New York, Atlanta and European hubs serve the city's strong tourism market. Strong southeasterly winds, known locally as the Cape Doctor, can make landings bumpy.
5. Certified phlebotomy technician
Medical · Healthcare Credential Abbreviations
Credential for phlebotomists who draw blood specimens, offered by organizations such as the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Candidates complete training with supervised venipunctures and pass an exam.
Example: Lab hiring CPT for outpatient draw station; early mornings.
California, Louisiana, Nevada and Washington are among the few states that license phlebotomists. ASCP's equivalent credential is PBT. In medical billing CPT means Current Procedural Terminology codes, an entirely different meaning.
6. Chest physiotherapy
Medical · Respiratory Abbreviations
Group of airway clearance techniques, including percussion (clapping on the chest), vibration and postural drainage, used to loosen and move mucus from the lungs. It is a daily routine in cystic fibrosis and is used in bronchiectasis and neuromuscular weakness.
Example: CPT with postural drainage BID and hypertonic saline nebs for CF exacerbation.
Devices such as high-frequency chest wall oscillation vests, oscillating positive expiratory pressure valves and the active cycle of breathing technique let patients clear secretions independently. Evidence for routine CPT in uncomplicated pneumonia is weak. In billing, CPT means Current Procedural Terminology, the American Medical Association's procedure code set, which is a far more common use.
7. Carriage Paid To
Business & Finance · Logistics, Supply Chain & Trade Abbreviations
The seller contracts and pays for carriage to a named destination, but risk passes to the buyer as soon as the goods are handed to the first carrier at origin. The buyer handles import clearance and duties.
Example: With CPT Denver, we pay the freight, but if the cargo is damaged in transit it's your claim.
The split between where costs end (destination) and where risk transfers (origin) is the most common source of confusion with the C-group rules. It applies to any mode of transport. The insured version is CIP.
8. Certified Personal Trainer
Education & Academia · Professional Certification Abbreviations
Credential for fitness professionals who design exercise programs for individual clients, offered by organizations such as NASM, ACE, NSCA and ACSM. Employers favor certifications accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
Example: The gym hires only trainers with an NCCA-accredited CPT and current CPR certification.
Most programs require a high school diploma, CPR and AED certification and a passing exam. Personal training is largely unregulated in the US, so certification is a hiring standard rather than a legal license. In medicine, CPT means Current Procedural Terminology codes, and in universities it means Curricular Practical Training.
9. Curricular Practical Training
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Work authorization for F-1 students for internships, co-ops or practicums that are an integral part of their degree program. A designated school official authorizes it directly on the student's Form I-20, without a separate USCIS application.
Example: Her summer internship counts for credit, so the DSO approved CPT.
Students usually must complete one academic year before using CPT, though some graduate programs allow it immediately. Twelve months or more of full-time CPT eliminates eligibility for OPT. Part-time CPT does not affect OPT.
Related abbreviations
More US Army rank abbreviations
- BG – Brigadier General (US Army)
- CDT – Cadet (US Army)
- COL – Colonel (US Army)
- Cpl – Corporal (US Marine Corps)
- CSM – Command Sergeant Major (US Army)
- CW2 – Chief Warrant Officer 2
- CW3 – Chief Warrant Officer 3
- CW4 – Chief Warrant Officer 4
See all 34 US Army rank abbreviations →
More mental health & psychiatry abbreviations
- C-SSRS – Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
- CAGE – Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (questionnaire)
- CBT – Cognitive behavioral therapy
- CD – Conduct disorder
- CUD – Cannabis use disorder
- DBT – Dialectical behavior therapy
- DID – Dissociative identity disorder
- DMDD – Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
See all 100 mental health & psychiatry abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.