# The meaning of OK

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 28, 2001, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428 "2001-06-28T05:48:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zerohero121](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6a8cbe/32.png) [@zerohero121](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zerohero121)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428/1 "2001-06-28T05:48:51Z")

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Ok, I am lazy, it’s probably in the dictionary but I don’t feel like looking for it. What does the word Okay or O.K. actually mean? Is it a couple of latin words shortened down to the first letters to form an acronym? What is the exact meaning?

thanks guys!

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**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428/2 "2001-06-28T05:54:26Z")

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The Master has already addressed this:

[What does “OK” stand for?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_250.html)

Be advised that the truth is kind of stupid.

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**Author:** ![City\_Gent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a87d85/32.png) [@City\_Gent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/City_Gent)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428/3 "2001-06-28T05:59:05Z")

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The consensus seems to be that it stands for “oll korrect” (all correct). The earliest recorded appearance of O.K. in print is in the Boston Morning Post on March 23, 1839. It was an instance of a mid-1800s fashion of intentional use of “backwoods” dialect and misspellings. Other contemporary examples include “K.Y.” for “Know Yuse” and “R.T.B.S.” for “remains to be seen”.

Source: “Made In America”, p. 71, by Bryson

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**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428/4 "2001-06-28T06:05:53Z")

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Main Entry: 1OK  
Variant(s): or okay /O-'kA, in assenting or agreeing also 'O-"kA/  
Function: adverb or adjective  
Etymology: abbreviation of oll korrect, facetious alteration of all correct  
Date: 1839

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**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428/5 "2001-06-28T14:52:03Z")

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Isn’t it where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain?

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**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428/6 "2001-06-28T14:55:23Z")

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no, no, it’s where the wind comes right behind the rain.

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**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-ok/70428/7 "2001-06-28T15:04:47Z")

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You win, **rmariamp**. You win.