May Day

American  

noun

1. the first day of May, long celebrated with various festivities, as the crowning of the May queen, dancing around the Maypole, and, in recent years, often marked by labor parades and political demonstrations.

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May Day British  

noun

1. 1. the first day of May, traditionally a celebration of the coming of spring: in some countries now observed as a holiday in honour of workers

   2. ( as modifier )

      May-Day celebrations

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Etymology

Origin of May Day

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English

Compare meaning

How does may-day compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• May Day vs. Labor Day

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

May Day

“This has more red flags than a May Day parade,” an industry insider said, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize his professional relationships.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Mamdani walked the picket lines with nurses and addressed a rally of union workers on May Day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026

Work began on land in Willows Green, near Felsted, Essex, within hours of Uttlesford District Council shutting its offices for the May Day Bank Holiday weekend on Friday.

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

University presidents such as Kingman Brewster Jr. and A. Bartlett Giamatti, for example, spoke out about the Vietnam War, the Black Panthers and May Day protests.

From Salon ● Nov. 8, 2025

He looked at photos of Soviet missiles taken at various May Day parades and identified each one, explaining its capabilities.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin