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

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

Rallies across the Southland and the country were united under the banner of May Day Strong, a partnership of labor, political and environmental organizations.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2025

Additionally, during the popular May Day holiday season last year, some universities issued strict guidelines for students who had planned to travel.

From BBC • May 26, 2025

Since the 1890s, the first of May, known as May Day, had been celebrated with parades, many of them organized by the labor movement.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler