copacetic

WOTD - 25 January 2010    

English

Alternative forms

• copasetic

Etymology

Unknown, many unproven theories exist. Probably originated among African Americans in the US South in the early 20th century or late 19th century. Perhaps first used by British soldiers stationed in Palestine before 1948, based on the Hebrew "ha-kol ba-seder" (all is in order). Also, probably disputed (MW) + perhaps from כל בצדק kol betsedeq 'all with justice' (AHD)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Hebrew_origin - Copacetic)

Jazz historians attribute the word's coinage to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /kəʊ.pəˈsɛt.ɪk/, SAMPA: /k@U.p@"sEt.Ik/
• (US) IPA: /ˌkoʊ.pəˈsɛt.ɪk/, SAMPA: /%koU.p@"sEt.Ik/

Adjective

copacetic (comparative more copacetic, superlative most copacetic)

1. (US) Fine, excellent.
   • 1919, Irving Bacheller, A man for the ages: a story of the builders of democracy^[1], page 69:

     ...an' as to looks I'd call him, as ye might say, real copasetic." Mrs. Lukins expressed this opinion solemnly and with a slight cough. Its last word stood for nothing more than an indefinite depth of meaning.

   • 1919, Irving Bacheller, A man for the ages: a story of the builders of democracy^[2], page 287:

     There was one other word in her lexicon which was in the nature of a jewel to be used only on special occasions. It was the word "copasetic".

Translations

fine, excellent, going just right, swell

Bulgarian: отличен (bg) (otlíčen) French: super (fr), extra (fr), super-extra (fr), ok (fr), genial (fr)

Russian: отличный (ru) (otlíčnyj) Spanish: requetebueno (es), estupendo (es), genial (es)

References

• World Wide Words
• "Copacetic" in Michael Quinion, Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds, 2004.