On March 23, 1839, the now-universal term “OK” made its first appearance in print in The Boston Morning Post.
At the time, “OK” stood for “oll korrect,” a humorous misspelling of “all correct.” The phrase was part of a popular trend among young, educated Americans in the late 1830s, who intentionally misspelled words and shortened them into abbreviations as slang—much like modern shorthand used today.
Other examples from the era included “KY” for “know yuse” (no use), “KG” for “know go” (no go), and “OW” for “oll wright” (all right). While many of these faded away, “OK” stuck—and quickly caught on.
The abbreviation gained national attention during the 1840 presidential campaign. Supporters of President Martin Van Buren formed the “O.K. Club,” referencing both the popular slang and his nickname, “Old Kinderhook,” after his hometown in New York. Political opponents tried to spin the term negatively, even claiming it came from a misspelling by former President Andrew Jackson, but the phrase only grew in popularity.
Over time, several myths emerged about where “OK” really came from. Some believed it was tied to the name of a popular Army biscuit, Orrin Kendall. Others claimed it came from the Haitian port Aux Cayes, known for exporting rum, or from the signature of a Choctaw chief named Old Keokuk. None of those theories proved true.
The mystery was eventually settled by linguist Allen Walker Read, a Columbia University professor who traced the term back to its 1839 newspaper origin.
Today, “OK” is one of the most widely recognized words in the world—an American original that has stood the test of time.
