contrail

noun

con·​trail ˈkän-ˌtrāl How to pronounce contrail (audio)
: streaks of condensed water vapor created in the air by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes

Examples of contrail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On a sunny day, a contrail does two things simultaneously. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 12 Sep. 2024 Addressing contrails is essential to minimizing aviation's environmental impact. Greg Ombach, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024 Private jets, already heavily scrutinized for high carbon emissions, represent a big part of the contrail problem. Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2024 There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, not even a cirrus wisp or fading contrail. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for contrail 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contrail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

condensation trail

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contrail was in 1943

Dictionary Entries Near contrail

Cite this Entry

“Contrail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrail. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

contrail

noun
con·​trail ˈkän-ˌtrāl How to pronounce contrail (audio)
: a stream of visible water or ice particles created in the air by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes

More from Merriam-Webster on contrail

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