Mayday

1 of 2

communications signal

May·​day ˈmā-ˌdā How to pronounce Mayday (audio)
used as a distress call in international radio-telephone communications

May Day

2 of 2

noun

: May 1 celebrated as a springtime festival and in some countries as Labor Day

Examples of Mayday in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Chicagoans celebrated May Day on May 1, also known as International Workers’ Day, with performances, rallies and marches all over the city, from Union Park to Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026 Gary Wilcox, a member of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, concluded his opening remarks at the May Day protest with a blessing of the Miccosukee Tribe’s land, which is adjacent to the makeshift immigration detention camp, saying real suffering is happening to those being caged under the tents. Churchill Ndonwie may 2, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026 Hundreds of workers and labor advocates gathered in East Oakland on Friday to mark May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, using the annual event to call for a range of political and economic changes. Da Lin, CBS News, 2 May 2026 May 1, known as May Day and widely celebrated by labor unions across the United States, is, in part, tied to the May 4, 1886, Haymarket Affair in Chicago. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026 The union, meanwhile, joined Friday with faith and labor leaders and members of the Fair Games Coalition to press their point at a May Day rally outside the FIFA host committee offices in downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Communications signal

French m'aider help me

First Known Use

Communications Signal

1927, in the meaning defined above

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Mayday was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mayday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mayday. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

Mayday

1 of 2
May·​day mā-ˈdā How to pronounce Mayday (audio)
ˈmā-ˌdā
an international radio signal word used as a distress call

May Day

2 of 2 noun
: May 1 celebrated as a springtime festival and in some countries as Labor Day

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