mayday: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low, except in specific maritime, aviation, and emergency contexts.Technical, specialized, and figurative.
Quick answer
What does “mayday” mean?
An international radio distress signal used by ships and aircraft to indicate they are in grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An international radio distress signal used by ships and aircraft to indicate they are in grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.
Can be used figuratively to describe a situation of extreme crisis or a desperate call for help in any context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No difference in primary meaning or usage; both follow the international aviation/maritime convention.
Connotations
Identical. Carries the same high-stakes, life-or-death connotation.
Frequency
Equally low in everyday speech, equally high in aviation and maritime communication contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “mayday” in a Sentence
Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is [vessel/aircraft name]. We are [situation].The captain was forced to send a mayday.They issued a mayday call before the connection was lost.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mayday” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pilot knew he had to mayday immediately when the second engine failed.
American English
- The captain decided to mayday the Coast Guard as the fire spread.
adjective
British English
- The mayday broadcast was picked up by a tanker fifty miles away.
American English
- They initiated the mayday procedure as outlined in the manual.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Figurative: 'The CEO sent out a mayday to the board when quarterly losses were revealed.'
Academic
Rare except in historical or technical papers on communication or transportation safety.
Everyday
Figurative: 'My phone battery was at 1%—it was a total mayday situation.'
Technical
Standardized procedural word in aviation (ICAO) and maritime (IMO) radiotelephony for life-threatening emergencies, repeated three times.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mayday”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mayday”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mayday”
- Spelling it as 'May Day' or 'may day'.
- Using it casually for minor problems, which can sound hyperbolic or insensitive.
- Pronouncing it with stress on the second syllable (incorrect: /meɪˈdeɪ/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
To distinguish it from a call about something else that might sound like 'mayday', and to ensure it's clearly understood as a distress signal despite radio static or interference.
'SOS' is a Morse code distress signal (··· --- ···). 'Mayday' is a spoken radiotelephony distress signal. 'Mayday' is used for voice communications (radio, phone), while SOS is used for telegraphy.
Yes, but only figuratively for a very serious problem. Using it for a minor issue (e.g., 'I spilled my coffee, mayday!') is dramatic and inappropriate given its life-or-death origin.
Yes, it is the standard international radiotelephony distress signal for aircraft and vessels, established by international convention. However, local languages may have their own secondary signals (e.g., 'pan-pan' for urgent but not life-threatening situations).
An international radio distress signal used by ships and aircraft to indicate they are in grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.
Mayday is usually technical, specialized, and figurative. in register.
Mayday: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmeɪdeɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmeɪdeɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cry mayday (figurative, informal)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'MAYbe I need help toDAY.' Remember, it comes from the French 'm'aider' (help me), not the spring holiday.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION IS A LIFELINE. The signal itself becomes the metaphorical rope thrown to a person drowning in a crisis.
Practice
Quiz
What is the origin of the distress signal 'mayday'?