contrail

noun

con·​trail ˈkän-ˌtrāl 

: 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

This contrail of information can lay the groundwork for applying AI. — Marc Kermisch, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

In the near future, Google is planning a larger-scale trial with Cathay Pacific, involving more flights, in hopes of accelerating contrail research and delivering fast, effective impacts on climate change mitigation. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026

And more than 40% of these flights left contrails behind them for at least part of the journey. — Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 28 Aug. 2026

When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky, and the contrail afterward makes for a great photo. — Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

condensation trail

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for contrail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

contrail

noun

con·​trail ˈkän-ˌtrāl 

: a stream of visible water or ice particles created in the air by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes