pan-pan

[ pahn-pahn ]

noun
  1. an international distress signal used by shore stations to inform a ship, aircraft, etc., of something vital to its safety or to the safety of one of its passengers.

Origin of pan-pan

1
Reduplication and alteration of French panne “breakdown, failure”
  • Sometimes pan [pahn] /pɑn/ .

Words Nearby pan-pan

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024