Significance of SOS: The emergency signal fully written out

The letter sequence SOS has had a clear meaning for over 100 years: it is sent out to request help in an emergency. But what does the emergency signal actually mean? We explain it in this practical tip.

Full meaning - what does SOS stand for?

The origin of the emergency signal lies in the German shipping industry in the early 20th century. Contrary to popular belief, the three letters are not an abbreviation.

• Instead, "SOS" is a Morse code that used to be used in radio communications among ships. The Morse code behind the three letters (three times short, three times long, three times short) was so concise that it could also be recognized by unskilled people.
• If a ship was in distress, it could send the SOS signal to request other ships to stop transmitting. Once that was done, further information about the emergency was sent to all ships in the area.
• A misconception is that "SOS" is short for "save our souls". This meaning was later suggested.
• The string of letters is still used internationally to mark emergency telephones, lifebuoys and the like.