condensation trail
nounUK /ˌkɒndɛnˈseɪʃən treɪl/
US /ˌkɑːndɛnˈseɪʃən treɪl/
A long white cloud line that a flying airplane leaves behind in the sky.
We watched the airplane draw a condensation trail across the blue sky.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A visible trail of water droplets or ice crystals formed by the exhaust of an aircraft engine.
The condensation trail lingered for minutes before fading.
3. Any streak of condensed water vapor left by a fast-moving object in cold air.
A rocket's condensation trail stretched across the horizon.
4. A line of cloud-like vapor marking the path of an aircraft at high altitude.
Pilots often see condensation trails from other planes far above.