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

That day was also celebrated as May Day in the now defunct Soviet Union with parades in Red Square.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 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

The Halloween Indicator suggests stronger stock market returns from Halloween to May Day, with the Dow averaging 5.3% annually in winter versus 1.9% in summer.

From Barron's • Oct. 27, 2025

A complete list of the collective actions can be found on the May Day Strong website.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 31, 2025

Wishes, according to Maeve, could not be touched until after May Day.

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate