okay
okay Lexical Profile
okay Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Satisfactory, acceptable, or in good condition, though not necessarily exceptional.
"The restaurant was okay, though the service was a bit slow."
Safe, unharmed, or in a good state of physical or emotional well-being.
"She called home immediately after the storm to let her parents know she was okay."
Permissible or allowed under the circumstances.
"Please check with the coordinator to see if it is okay to bring guests to the seminar."
• adverb
In a satisfactory, acceptable, or adequate manner; well enough.
"The new software is running okay after yesterday's system update."
• interjection
Used as a discourse marker to attract attention, transition to a new topic, or initiate an action.
"Okay, let's review the agenda for today's committee meeting."
Used to express agreement, assent, compliance, or acknowledgment.
"Okay, I will meet you at the library at three o'clock."
• noun
An authorization, approval, or endorsement.
"The construction crew is waiting for the city inspector's okay before pouring the foundation."
• verb
To approve, authorize, or give official sanction to a plan, request, or document.
"The board of directors okayed the budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although universally understood and frequently spelled 'OK', 'okay' remains primarily informal; in formal or academic writing, more precise terms like 'satisfactory', 'acceptable', or 'approve' are preferred.
• Rhymes for okay
Word Origin & Etymology
A phonetic spelling of the abbreviation 'OK', which originated in an 1839 Boston Morning Post article as a humorous abbreviation of 'oll korrect' (a deliberate misspelling of 'all correct') and was further popularized during Martin Van Buren's 1840 presidential campaign in reference to his nickname, 'Old Kinderhook'.