Origin disputed. Wikipedia lists many possible etymologies, of which the most widely accepted is that it is an abbreviation of oll/orl korrect, a comical spelling of all correct, which first appeared in print in The Boston Morning Post on March 23, 1839, as part of a fad for similar fanciful abbreviations in the United States during the late 1830s. The expression became popular through its use in the presidential campaign of Martin Van Buren in 1840, who was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and then slowly acquired other meanings. The Choctaw word oke, okeh (“it is so”), common in Choctaw translations of the Bible, could also explain OK's variety of affirmative definitions. Additionally, okeh was the most common etymology of okay in dictionaries until the 1960s, and linguistically predates Boston's O.K.. However, this theory suffers from the fact that the Choctaw language was relatively obscure and generally spoken (sometimes in a pidgin form) mainly with African-American slaves.
Origin disputed. Wikipedia lists many possible etymologies, of which the most widely accepted is that it is an abbreviation of oll/orl korrect, a comical spelling of all correct, which first appeared in print in The Boston Morning Post on March 23, 1839, as part of a fad for similar fanciful abbreviations in the United States during the late 1830s. The expression became popular through its use in the presidential campaign of Martin Van Buren in 1840, who was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and then slowly acquired other meanings. The Choctaw word oke, okeh (“it is so”), common in Choctaw translations of the Bible, could also explain OK's variety of affirmative definitions. Additionally, okeh was the most common etymology of okay in dictionaries until the 1960s, and linguistically predates Boston's O.K.. However, this theory suffers from the fact that the Choctaw language was relatively obscure and generally spoken (sometimes in a pidgin form) mainly with African-American slaves.
1
To approve; to accept; to acquiesce to.
I don't want to OK this amount of money.
In the data case, Judge John Bates has OK’d four depositions, while green-lighting other discovery requests from the challengers.2025 March 30, Tierney Sneed, “Is DOGE actually an agency? The answer could have major ramifications”, in CNN:
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To confirm by activating a button marked OK.
Type a suitable name for your Marker and OK the dialogue box.2001, Mike Collins, Pro Tools: Practical Recording, Editing and Mixing for Music Production:
When you OK the crop, the image size will be adjusted to match the front image resolution.2008, Martin Evening, Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Photographers:
Origin disputed. Wikipedia lists many possible etymologies, of which the most widely accepted is that it is an abbreviation of oll/orl korrect, a comical spelling of all correct, which first appeared in print in The Boston Morning Post on March 23, 1839, as part of a fad for similar fanciful abbreviations in the United States during the late 1830s. The expression became popular through its use in the presidential campaign of Martin Van Buren in 1840, who was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and then slowly acquired other meanings. The Choctaw word oke, okeh (“it is so”), common in Choctaw translations of the Bible, could also explain OK's variety of affirmative definitions. Additionally, okeh was the most common etymology of okay in dictionaries until the 1960s, and linguistically predates Boston's O.K.. However, this theory suffers from the fact that the Choctaw language was relatively obscure and generally spoken (sometimes in a pidgin form) mainly with African-American slaves.
1
All right, acceptable, permitted.
Is it OK if I spend the night?
'Everything O.K. so far as I have found,' was the reassuring answer.1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
2 more examples
“A Summer Places”s simple thesis is that sexual promiscuity among the young is OK in general but it’s even more OK if the adults have a record of adultery and it’s even OKer than that if everybody has lots of money. But who wants to go slumming (even morally) in an armchair?1967 August 19, Judith Crist, “This Week’s Movies”, in Merrill Panitt, editor, TV Guide, volume 15, number 33, Radnor, Pa.: Triangle Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, page A-5, column 2:
If someone has been transparent about their journey with GLP-1s, it’s OK to ask specific follow-up questions, she adds.2026 January 29, Angela Haupt, “Can I Ask Someone if They’re on Ozempic?”, in TIME, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2026:
2
Satisfactory, reasonably good; not exceptional.
The soup was OK, but the dessert was excellent.
I watched her pale complexion and her creaseless school uniform as she shyly introduced herself in front of the class, and decided she was no different from all the others in Saginomiya Girls’ High School: rather smart, from an OK family, at any rate OKer than mine, with enough time and money to allow her to muse over where to get the latest version of tamagochi or that tartan dress with an above-knee hemline advertised in Seventeen.2004, Chu-Ching Chen, “The Returnee”, in Tony Bradman, editor, Skin Deep, London: Puffin Books, →ISBN, page 222:
3
Satisfied (with); willing to accept a state of affairs.
If you leave the kids in the creche for one morning on your week's holiday, and they are OK with that, then it's fine.2012, Roni Jay, The 10 Most Important Things You Can Do For Your Children:
4
In good health or a good emotional state.
He's not feeling well now, but he should be OK after some rest.
Are you OK?
2 more examples
‘Are we OK? Is this—?’ She made a gesture to include their two bodies. / ‘This is the OKest I’ve been in years.’2014, Sue Moorcroft, chapter 18, in The Wedding Proosal, Camberley, Surrey: Choc Lit, →ISBN, page 200:
In France, the French postal service La Poste provides a subscription service in which postal workers visit elderly subscribers to make sure they are okay, do not need anything, and provide brief social interaction.2022 October 25, L. J. Shrum, Elena Fumagalli, Tina M. Lowrey, “Coping with loneliness through consumption”, in Journal of Consumer Psychology, volume 33, number 2, →DOI, page 452:
Origin disputed. Wikipedia lists many possible etymologies, of which the most widely accepted is that it is an abbreviation of oll/orl korrect, a comical spelling of all correct, which first appeared in print in The Boston Morning Post on March 23, 1839, as part of a fad for similar fanciful abbreviations in the United States during the late 1830s. The expression became popular through its use in the presidential campaign of Martin Van Buren in 1840, who was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and then slowly acquired other meanings. The Choctaw word oke, okeh (“it is so”), common in Choctaw translations of the Bible, could also explain OK's variety of affirmative definitions. Additionally, okeh was the most common etymology of okay in dictionaries until the 1960s, and linguistically predates Boston's O.K.. However, this theory suffers from the fact that the Choctaw language was relatively obscure and generally spoken (sometimes in a pidgin form) mainly with African-American slaves.
Origin disputed. Wikipedia lists many possible etymologies, of which the most widely accepted is that it is an abbreviation of oll/orl korrect, a comical spelling of all correct, which first appeared in print in The Boston Morning Post on March 23, 1839, as part of a fad for similar fanciful abbreviations in the United States during the late 1830s. The expression became popular through its use in the presidential campaign of Martin Van Buren in 1840, who was nicknamed Old Kinderhook, and then slowly acquired other meanings. The Choctaw word oke, okeh (“it is so”), common in Choctaw translations of the Bible, could also explain OK's variety of affirmative definitions. Additionally, okeh was the most common etymology of okay in dictionaries until the 1960s, and linguistically predates Boston's O.K.. However, this theory suffers from the fact that the Choctaw language was relatively obscure and generally spoken (sometimes in a pidgin form) mainly with African-American slaves.
1
Used to indicate acknowledgement or acceptance.
I promise to give it back. – OK.
Let's meet again this afternoon. – OK.
3 more examples
Shut up! – OK, OK.
OK! I get it! Stop nagging me!
Come by this afternoon. — Okay.2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Used to dismiss a dialog box or confirm a prompt.
3
Used to introduce a sentence in order to draw attention to the importance of what is being said.
OK, I'm thinking of a number…
4
Used in turn-taking, serving as a request to the speaker to grant the turn to the interrupter.
You always do this to me! When we were at your mother’s, you said that… – OK, OK, …
5
Used to sarcastically or sardonically indicate agreement with the previous statement.