What does OK mean?

Answer 1

It's one of America's most popular exports, used just about everywhere, from Paris to Beijing, from Johannesburg to Calcutta. But how did OK come to be? Linguists have pondered the question for years, arriving at many colorful -- but incorrect -- answers.

Some believe it came from the abbreviation of Orrin Kendall biscuits, which soldiers ate during the civil war. Others say OK is short for Aux Cayes, a Haitian port that American sailors praised for its rum. Another legend suggests the word comes from Old Keokuk, a Native American tribal chief who was said to have signed treaties with his initials.

But none of those versions have been proven correct, as NPR's Neva Grant reports for Morning Edition's Present at the Creation series.

What is known is that one of the first instances of OK appearing in print was in the spring of 1839 by the Boston Morning Post:

It is hardly necessary to say to those who know Mr. Hughes, that his establishment will be found to be 'A. No. One' -- that is, O.K. -- all correct.

So if OK stands for "all correct," wouldn't it be "AC"? Not exactly, says linguist Erin McKean, who points out that the word was intentionally misspelled. Much like the way people on the Internet shorten or abbreviate words when typing, OK was misspelled on purpose.

"For instance, a lot of kids online spell "cool," "k-e-w-l," says McKean, senior editor for U.S. dictionaries at Oxford Press. "They know how to spell cool, but it just looks cooler to spell it "k-e-w-l."

It was cool in certain East Coast cities in the mid-19th century to substitute OK for "all correct." McKean says it was common for people of that day to use inside lingo -- shorthand full of puns, purposeful misspellings and abbreviations. For example, they'd use "SP" for "small potatoes," or "TBFTB" for "too big for their britches."

You can read the whole thing here: http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/ok/

Answer 2

OK (n.) Approval; agreement
OK (adj.) Agreeable; acceptable



The letters stand for "oll korrect." They're the result of a fad for comical abbreviations that flourished in the late 1830s and 1840s.

Answer 3

Oklahoma

Answer 4

To many people O.K. is a form of consent or agreement.

But, when it is expressed using the fingers, with the thumb and finger, the other three fingers pointed upward indicates 666..not a very good sign to many...

Answer 5

you should know what ok means. its means fine, sure go head. everyone knows that!

Answer 6

ok=Okay

Answer 7

to my knowledge it simply means alright. also written as okay.

Answer 8

okaily dokaily neighbourino...that sounded so weird saying that think im goina puke

Answer 9

alright

Answer 10

fine.