SOS

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sos"

Translingual

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɛsoːˈʔɛs]

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

1. emergency, mayday, distress

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

• CQD
• mayday

See also

• pan-pan

Etymology 2

Symbol

SOS

1. (international standards) ISO 4217 currency code for the Somali shilling.

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌɛs.əʊˈɛs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɛs.oʊˈɛs/

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

SOS (plural SOS's or SOSes)

1. 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[rthur] 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?"

See also

• mayday
• pan-pan

Etymology 2

Noun

SOS

1. Initialism of Secretary of State.
2. Initialism of special order sale.

Phrase

SOS

1. (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)

1. (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

• tic tac toe

Etymology 4

Noun

SOS (uncountable)

1. Initialism of shit on a shingle.

Etymology 5

Phrase

SOS

1. (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

• 'oss, OSS, OSs, SSO, oss

Japanese

Etymology

Borrowed from English SOS.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) エスオ​ーエス [èsúóꜜòèsù] (Nakadaka – [3])
• (Tokyo) エスオーエ​ス [èsúóóéꜜsù] (Nakadaka – [5])
• IPA^(key): [e̞sɨᵝo̞ːe̞sɨᵝ]

Noun

S(エス)O(オー)S(エス) • (esuōesu) 

1. SOS (conventional Morse code call made by a ship in distress)
2. (by extension) the state of being sought an emergency rescue

   火(か)星(せい)からのS(エス)O(オー)S(エス)

   Kasei kara no esuōesu

   an SOS from Mars

3. silicon on sapphire

Swedish

Etymology 1

Internationalism. Ultimately from the fact that its morse code is easy to remember. First attested in 1923.

Alternative forms

• S.O.S.

Noun

SOS ?

1. SOS, international telegraphic distress signal

Derived terms

• SOS-nummer (“emergency number”)
• SOS-signal (“SOS signal”)

Etymology 2

Butter, cheese, and herring

Initialism of smör, ost, sill (“butter, cheese, herring”). Probably humorous in origin, most likely from the distress signal of the same name.

Alternative forms

• S.O.S.

Noun

SOS ?

1. 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 ?

1. a particular collection of systems and processes that produce official statistics about Sweden

Etymology 4

Abbreviation of Södersjukhuset.

Noun

SOS ?

1. Misspelling of SÖS, largest hospital in Stockholm, Sweden

Anagrams

• oss