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vapor trail

American  

noun

  1. contrail.


Etymology

Origin of vapor trail

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The awesome spectacle and the long, lingering vapor trail brought people outside or to their windows to see what happened—and that’s when the shock wave touched down.

From Scientific American • Feb. 15, 2023

South Korean social media and internet sites were abuzz with messages by citizens who said they saw a soaring object, rainbow-colored vapor trail or other mysterious lights.

From Washington Times • Dec. 30, 2022

The sound off the bat and the vapor trail of trajectory drew oohs and comments, including “Get you some!” from the Mariners dugout, and grins from Dipoto and Servais.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2022

The vapor trail left by the Chelyabinsk meteor Image: Alex Alishevskikh However, it’s still possible that we could be surprised one day.

From The Verge • Nov. 23, 2021

At the edge of the horizon, a flicker of movement caught her eye—something small and beige racing across the fields at incredible speed, leaving a vapor trail like a plane’s.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

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