1. a visible trail of water vapor left behind an aircraft at high altitude
Usage: aviation

Examples

• The jet left a long white contrail across the blue sky.
• Contrails form when hot exhaust meets cold air at high altitudes.
• On clear days, you can see multiple contrails crisscrossing overhead.
• The contrail gradually dispersed in the wind.
• Scientists study contrails to understand their impact on climate.
• The aircraft’s contrail was visible for several minutes after it passed.