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

In contrast to the average summer gain since 1896 of 1.9%, the Dow since May Day of this year is up 16.1%.

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

The talks on May Day will see Acas included in negotiations for the first time since the strike began, after Unite and the council agreed to go to mediation talks.

From BBC • May 1, 2025

On the morning of May Day I received printed instructions as to the time and place where our union contingent would assemble to join the parade.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright