pronounced: \ˌkō-pə-ˈse-tik\
Apparently, I say this because I am old, likewise yerdad, who is also old, will say this from time to time. We had no idea it is such a new word that is primarily used by old people.
As you gathered from the context, it means that things are essentially okey-dokey and somewhat better than comme ci comme ça, which is old-people speak for, as you say, “meh.”
According to Miriam Webster, tap dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson claimed to have invented the word copacetic as a boy in Richmond, Virginia. Others dispute this, but I think Bojangles should get credit, mainly because I like saying Bojangles.
The song, Mr. Bojangles, has nothing to do with Bill Robinson directly, but is supposedly based on the story of a man who was using the name to disguise his identity in jail. Supposedly. (I google so you don’t have to!!)
It isn’t always necessary to bring William Shatner into the subject, but it can be essential.
I have dived down a long and twisty internet rabbit hole to try to locate a recording of William Shatner singing the song, sadly it has been destroyed from orbit. I did, however, find a playlist with twenty-eight versions of the song.
You may want to bookmark this for a time when you have a hostage situation and things are not entirely copacetic: 28 versions of “Mr. Bojangles” for some reason.
Love,
yermom
