SOS
Translingual
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Chosen because its Morse code sequence (...---...) was easy to remember and recognize even through interference. Many mnemonics and backronyms were later formed from the sequence.
Symbol
SOS
Usage notes
The code SOS is normally only used in text transmission; for voice communication, mayday is used. The sequence is normally transmitted run together without any letter spacing in between, so it is technically a single unique code rather than a series of three letters.
Synonyms
See also
Etymology 2
Symbol
SOS
English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From the letters represented by the signal, chosen as a sequence that is easy to recall and transmit (· · · — — — · · ·); it is not, as is commonly believed, an abbreviation for "save our souls", "save our ship", or any other phrase.
Noun
- The conventional Morse code call made by a ship in distress.
- The crew sent a frantic SOS as they realised the scale of the disaster.
- 1925 July – 1926 May, A Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
- "Look at wireless. Look at the S. O. S. call at sea. Is that not a benefit to mankind?"
- 2016 August 11, “Chinese fishing boat collides with Greek freighter near Senkakus, 6 rescued”, in The Mainichi, archived from the original on 2016-08-12:
- At around 5:30 a.m., crewmembers of a JCG patrol boat received an SOS from the 106,726-ton freighter Anangel Courage. The patrol vessel and a JCG plane found the freighter on the high seas about 67 kilometers away from Uotsuri Island, one of the Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China.
See also
Etymology 2
Noun
SOS
- Initialism of Secretary of State.
- Initialism of special order sale.
Phrase
SOS
- (colloquial) Initialism of slip on show: a warning to a woman that the underwear she has on can be seen.
Etymology 3
Noun
SOS (uncountable)
- (games) A children's game in which players take turns to place S's and O's on a grid, collecting points by creating an "SOS" sequence.
See also
Etymology 4
Noun
SOS (uncountable)
- Initialism of shit on a shingle.
Etymology 5
Phrase
SOS
- (Commonwealth, military, historical) Initialism of struck off strength or stricken off strength.
- Antonym: TOS
Usage notes
- Only used with the past participle, chiefly in historical military records.
Anagrams
Japanese
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
- SOS (conventional Morse code call made by a ship in distress)
- (by extension) the state of being sought an emergency rescue
- 火星からのSOS
- Kasei kara no esuōesu
- an SOS from Mars
- 火星からのSOS
- silicon on sapphire
References
Swedish
Etymology 1
Internationalism. Ultimately from the fact that its morse code is easy to remember. First attested in 1923.[1]
Alternative forms
Noun
SOS ?
- SOS, international telegraphic distress signal
Derived terms
- SOS-nummer (“emergency number”)
- SOS-signal (“SOS signal”)
Etymology 2
Initialism of smör, ost, sill (“butter, cheese, herring”). Probably humorous in origin, most likely from the distress signal of the same name.
Alternative forms
Noun
SOS ?
- A traditional appetizer consisting of butter, cheese, and herring; a smaller version of the brännvinsbord.
Derived terms
- SOS-tallrik (“butter, cheese and herring plate”)
Etymology 3
Abbreviation of Sveriges officiella statistik (“Sweden's official statistic”).
Noun
SOS ?
- a particular collection of systems and processes that produce official statistics about Sweden
Etymology 4
Abbreviation of Södersjukhuset.
Noun
SOS ?