Okeh

Part of speech: interjection, adjective, adverb, verb, noun

Definitions

1. Approval or agreement given to something, often shown with a nod or a brief word of consent ; to give formal approval or endorsement to a plan, document or request ; describing something that is satisfactory, acceptable or all right
2. A spoken or written sign that someone agrees to a proposal ; to authorize or sign off on an action, decision or piece of work ; fine, adequate or acceptable in quality or condition
3. Consent or the nod of approval that signals agreement ; to sanction or endorse something officially ; a casual term meaning that something is acceptable, correct or in good order

Etymology: The spelling "okeh" is a variant of "OK," and the two are so closely tied that the older form is often treated as a mere alternate spelling of the more famous one. The most common folk story links it to Choctaw, a Native American language of the southeastern United States, where "okeh" or "oke" is said to mean "it is so." That connection is widely repeated, but it is a claim about a possible source rather than a documented route into English, and the more likely reading is that "okeh" arose as a spelling variant of "OK" itself. The word's history is therefore tangled with that of "OK," whose own origins are much debated. Whatever its source, the spelling "okeh" appeared as a playful or nonstandard variant, and it was used in print mainly to signal agreement or approval in informal writing. Its survival owes less to any single origin than to the general popularity of the "OK" family of spellings.

Synonyms: okay, OK, all right