May

May is the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar. It has 31 days and typically marks the heart of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The name May derives from Maia, a goddess in Greek and Roman mythology; the Latin Maius was used for the month in ancient Rome. The name is also used as a given name and surname in various languages.

May is also a modal auxiliary verb in English. It indicates permission, possibility, or a formal request. The form is the same for all subjects: may + base verb (You may leave now). It conveys permission (You may enter), possible outcome (It may rain later), or a courteous question (May I help you?). The negative form is may not, used for prohibition or for indicating lack of possibility. In many contexts, may signals a stronger or more formal sense than might, which is typically more tentative or hypothetical.

Notes on usage and history: May contrasts with can, which often expresses ability rather than permission, and with might, which expresses a weaker or more uncertain possibility. The verb’s history traces to Old English magan and Proto-Germanic *magan, reflecting its long-standing role in English grammar.