noun
mayday
MAY-day
noun
1
An international radio distress call used by ships and aircraft in serious danger.
"The pilot radioed a mayday moments before the engine failed."
"Coast guard crews scrambled the instant they heard the mayday call."
How to Use Mayday
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe emergency word pilots and ship crews shout or radio when they're in serious trouble.
Common mistake
Only used for genuine life-threatening emergencies, never as a general "help" — it triggers an official emergency response.
Common pairings
send a mayday
mayday call
mayday signal
Word Forms
maydays plural
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Etymology
Coined in the 1920s by a radio officer at Croydon Airport, based on the French phrase "venez m'aider" ("come help me"), shortened to "m'aider" and respelled "mayday" for clear radio pronunciation.