mayday

WOTD - 1 May 2010    

See also May Day

Translingual

Etymology

From French m'aider (short for « Venez m'aider ! », "Come help me!").

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmeɪ.deɪ/

• (file)

Interjection

mayday

1. (radio slang) emergency, need assistance
   • 2004, Ken Wishaw, Helicopter Rescue: The true story of Australia's first full-time chopper doctor‎, page 82

     'Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!' came the call.

Synonyms

• SOS

Translations

The call mayday is the international standard emergency call. However, many local variations also exist.

emergency, need assistance

Chinese: Mandarin: 遇險信號 (cmn), 遇险信号 (cmn) (yùxiǎn xìnhào) Finnish: mayday (fi) French: au secours ! (fr), à l'aide ! (fr)

German: zu Hilfe (de) Italian: aiuto ! (it) Russian: помогите (ru), терплю бедствие (ru) Spanish: ¡socorro! (es), ¡auxilio! (es), ¡ayuda! (es)

See also

• pan-pan

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English

Wikipedia

Alternative forms

• Mayday

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /ˈmeɪ.deɪ/, SAMPA: /"meI.deI/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪdeɪ

Noun

mayday (plural maydays)

1. An international distress signal used by shipping and aircraft
   • 2002, Clive Cussler, Valhalla Rising‎, page 47

     "Odd that she hasn't sent out a Mayday."
     "That is curious. Her radio must be disabled."

Translations

international distress signal used by shipping and aircraft

Chinese: Mandarin: 遇險信號 (cmn), 遇险信号 (cmn) (yùxiǎn xìnhào) Finnish: hätäkutsu (fi)

French: mayday (fr), SOS (fr) Russian: сигнал бедствия (ru), радиосигнал бедствия (ru), сигнал "терплю бедствие" (ru)

See also

• pan-pan
• SOS