OK

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

OK
Stands forOklahoma
Meanings2
CategoriesGeography & Places, Writing & Everyday

OK has two meanings. It stands for Oklahoma (US state) or All correct (from the joke spelling "oll korrect") (everyday).

Meanings of OK at a glance

#OK stands forContext
1OklahomaGeography & Places › US State
2All correct (from the joke spelling "oll korrect")Writing & Everyday › Everyday

1. Oklahoma

Geography & Places · US State Abbreviations

Formed largely from Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory and admitted on November 16, 1907, as the 46th state. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city, Tulsa the second city, and the Sooner State has one of the largest Native American populations of any state.

Example: Tornado sirens sounded across Moore, OK shortly after 4 p.m.

Okla. is used by AP and in traditional style. The postal code dates from 1963 and matches the word okay, so software that parses addresses sometimes mistakes it for a status flag. The Sooner nickname comes from settlers who entered the 1889 land run before the official start.

2. All correct (from the joke spelling "oll korrect")

Writing & Everyday · Everyday Abbreviations

Signals agreement, approval or that something is satisfactory or merely adequate, as in "That's OK" or "OK, let's go." It is among the most widely used words in the world and has been borrowed into many other languages.

Example: OK, I'll pick up the kids at three if you can handle dinner tonight.

The historian Allen Walker Read traced OK to the Boston Morning Post of March 23, 1839, where it appeared as a joke abbreviation of "oll korrect," part of a fad for humorously misspelled initialisms. Martin Van Buren's 1840 campaign, playing on his nickname "Old Kinderhook," helped spread it. It is spelled OK, O.K. or okay, and AP style prefers OK.

More US state abbreviations

  • NM – New Mexico
  • NV – Nevada
  • NY – New York
  • OH – Ohio
  • OR – Oregon
  • PA – Pennsylvania
  • RI – Rhode Island
  • SC – South Carolina

See all 51 US state abbreviations →

More everyday abbreviations

  • natl. – National
  • No. – Number
  • NYE – New Year's Eve
  • OJ – Orange juice
  • opp. – Opposite
  • opt. – Optional
  • PB&J – Peanut butter and jelly (sandwich)
  • pcs – Pieces

See all 82 everyday abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.