mayday
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/ˈmeɪdeɪ/
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A distress signal used in radio communications to indicate an emergency.
Examples
The mayday indicated a fire on board the passenger plane.
Air traffic control logged the mayday and dispatched emergency services.
Mayday, mayday, mayday! The aircraft is losing altitude over the ocean.
A mayday was sent when the vessel lost power in the storm.
The pilot calmly repeated Mayday as the fire spread through the cockpit.
Similar words
panic transmission
help broadcast
SOS
alert message
distress call
SOS
distress signal
rescue alert
life-saving signal
emergency call
Meanings
Examples
Mayday, mayday, mayday! The aircraft is losing altitude over the ocean.
When the ship's hull was breached, the captain shouted Mayday into the radio.
The pilot calmly repeated Mayday as the fire spread through the cockpit.
Air traffic control heard Mayday and immediately cleared the runway for an emergency landing.
A distressed sailor whispered Mayday before the storm knocked out the power.
Similar words
distress call
SOS
help signal
emergency call
alert
cry for help
panic signal
rescue request
Examples
The crew transmitted a mayday after the engine failed.
Rescuers responded to the mayday from the stranded yacht.
Air traffic control logged the mayday and dispatched emergency services.
The mayday indicated a fire on board the passenger plane.
A mayday was sent when the vessel lost power in the storm.
Similar words
distress signal
emergency call
SOS
help broadcast
rescue alert
panic transmission
alert message
life-saving signal
Etymology
From the French phrase m’aider (“help me”), adopted into English in the early 1920s as the standard radio distress call.
FAQ
It is a distress signal used in radio communications to indicate an emergency.
How is mayday used as an interjection?
It is spoken over radio, usually repeated three times, to declare a life-threatening emergency.
What does mayday mean as a noun?
It refers to the radio signal that indicates a grave emergency requiring immediate assistance.
What are the synonyms for mayday?
Distress call, SOS, help signal, emergency call, alert, cry for help, panic signal, rescue request.
Where does the word mayday come from?
From the French phrase m’aider meaning “help me”, adopted into English in the early 1920s.
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