MAYDAY Meaning and
Definition
-
Mayday is an internationally recognized distress signal used in aviation and maritime communication to indicate a life-threatening emergency situation. This term is derived from the French phrase "venez m'aider," meaning "come help me." It serves as a call for immediate assistance, signaling that the person or vessel transmitting the distress signal requires urgent aid due to their safety being compromised.
During an emergency, the word "mayday" is typically transmitted three times in a row to ensure clarity and avoid confusion with any other radio communication. This distress signal is universally understood and used by pilots, mariners, and air traffic controllers worldwide.
Mayday alerts are vital for initiating emergency responses, alerting search and rescue teams, and mobilizing the necessary resources to provide immediate assistance. Once a mayday call is received, other nearby vessels or aircraft are obliged to alter their course and offer aid, as per international maritime or aviation laws and regulations.
While initially developed for use in high-risk environments such as aviation and maritime situations, the term "mayday" has also found its way into common vernacular, sometimes used colloquially to express a sense of distress or need for help in various non-emergency contexts.
-
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for MAYDAY *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for MAYDAY
Etymology of MAYDAY
The word "mayday" originated from the French phrase "m’aider", which means "help me". It was adopted as an international distress signal in the early 20th century and is primarily used by pilots, air traffic controllers, and mariners to indicate a life-threatening emergency. The term "mayday" was specifically chosen because of its distinctiveness and ease of pronunciation in multiple languages.
Similar spelling words for MAYDAY
- Maida,
- Maddie,
- Matha,
- Maude,
- matey,
- may day,
- madia,
- maid,
- Mada,
- maidu,
- Maudie,
- Matty,
- Maud,
- made,
- Maddy,
- maday,
- Mata,
- MATTA,
- Madie,
- mayeda,
- maeda,
- mad.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
