ok

[delta719]

What is the meaning of OK?

[Chillum]

It's just an abbreviation of "okay". Unless you're talking Corals, in which case, I don't know.

[Quizmonster]

Actually, 'OK' is earlier than 'okay'. In 1830s Boston, there was a craze for initialisms, much the same as our current �LOLs' and �IMHOs' in text messages.  Thus, they had �KG' for �Know Good' (no good) and �SP' for �small potatoes' (unimportant), for example.  �OK' for �Orl Korrekt' (all correct) appeared in the �<i>Boston Morning Post</i>' newspaper in 1839.  This is the earliest-recorded version of the new �word'.
The next year, the Democrats started the �OK Club' to support Martin Van Buren, who was standing in the 1840 presidential election. "OK" in this case stood for "Old Kinderhook", which was his nickname, as he'd been born at Kinderhook in New York State. As a result of these two factors, 'OK' and, later, �Okay' became widely popular and are still with us today.
Alternative explanations are sometimes offered but, sadly, there is not a shred of hard evidence to support any of them.  They fall under two main headings...language-based and people-based.
Language. 1.  Scots �Och aye' misheard as �OK'; 2.  Greek �olla kalla' (all good); 3.  Finnish �oikea' (exact); 4.  French �au quai' (at the quay) and �oc' (the equivalent of �oui' in the langue d'oc French dialect); 5. Mandingo (African) �o ke' (certainly); Wolof (African) �waw kay' (yes indeed).
People.  1. �Old Keokuk' (an Indian chief); 2.  �Oberst Kommandant' (General Schliessen who fought against British forces in the War of Independence); 3.  Obadiah Kelly (well-known freight agent); 4.  �Open Key' (telegraphists' jargon); 5.  �Ole Korrek' (President Jackson's supposed mis-spelling).
In the end, the �orl korrekt' explanation is the only one that can be reliably confirmed.

[smudge]

Quizzie - You always such interesting, indepth answers.

Chillum - Corals?

[smudge]

*give

[Chillum]

You do know your stuff Mr. Monster.

Corals?.. as in Gunfight at the..

[Quizmonster]

Thanks for your kind comments, folks. The above answer is just an amalgamation of info gathered from various sources over the years and strung together in what I hoped was a comprehensive way. Cheers

[Clanad]

I can only add a humorous aside to Quizmonster's typically excellent answer... During the campaign referenced by Q, Van Buren's opponents tried to turn the phrase (OK) against him, saying that it had originated with Van Buren's allegedly illiterate predecessor, Andrew Jackson, a story that has survived to this day. They also devoted considerable energy to coming up with unflattering interpretations, e.g., "Out of Kash, Out of Kredit, and Out of Klothes."...applying these to Van Buren.  Never mind, Martin Van Buren became the 8th President of the United States in 1837... 

[smudge]

Chillum - I wondered what it would have to do with Coral in the sea. You mean OK Corral (with 2 rr's)! :0)

[Chillum]

oh ******.

[jno]

Bill Bryson discusses this at length in his book Made in America, a history of the English language in America; I think Quizmonster has covered most of the ground, but it's a great read anyway. Did you know the phrase 'stiff upper lip' was originally American?