OK

OK

Although its origin is still the subject of much scholarly discussion, the most likely explanation is that it was derived in the 1830s from the initial letters of the American dialect form orl korrect (= all correct) and rapidly acquired historical associations that gave it wider currency but do not constitute its true origin (e.g. as an election slogan of ‘Old Kinderhook’ (Martin Van Buren), the Democratic presidential candidate in 1840). No longer regarded as an Americanism, it is possibly the only English word that is universally recognized by speakers of other languages throughout the world. The alternative form okay is especially useful as a verb (= to say OK to, to authorize), allowing more comfortable inflected forms (okays, okayed, okaying) than OK does.