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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sheik, who was a Buddhist, built these songs around trancelike mantras, asking singers to sustain long and clear notes near the top of their register like contrails across the sky. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for contrail

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

Rhymes for contrail

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Browse Nearby Words

contrahierba
contrail
contraindicate
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Cite this Entry

“Contrail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contrail. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about contrail

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