OK facts for kids
OK (also spelled okay) is a very common word in the English language. It means that something is good, correct, or acceptable. You can often use it instead of saying "Yes."
No one is completely sure where the word "OK" first came from. Some experts believe it started as a funny way of writing "Ol Korrect," which meant "All Correct." It is also the two-letter abbreviation for the state of Oklahoma in the United States. In Greek, there is a phrase "Ola kala," which means "Everything fine."
History of the Word OK
The word "OK" became very popular in the United States around 1840. This happened during the 1840 presidential election. Supporters of a political candidate named Martin Van Buren used "OK" as a nickname for him. Van Buren was from a town called Kinderhook, New York, so they called him "Old Kinderhook." They thought "Vote for OK" was a catchy slogan.
However, Van Buren's opponents, from the Whig Party, made fun of the word. They said "OK" actually stood for "Oll Korrect," suggesting that another famous person, Andrew Jackson, was a bad speller. All this talk and debate during the election made "OK" famous across the entire United States very quickly.
Images for kids
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A hand making the "OK" sign.
See also
In Spanish: OK para niños
