Where does “vapour trail” come from?
vapour trail (English) comes from English trail, from Middle English trailen, from Old French trailler, from Vulgar Latin tragulare, from Latin trāgula — a javelin or dart having a throwing-strap (āmentum).
vapour trail (English): A contrail
Definitions
- A contrail
Ancestry of “vapour trail”, step by step
vapour trail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English trail
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | trail | To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something) |
| 2 | Middle English | trailen | to hang loosely, drag along, drag away |
| 3 | Old French | trailler | to tow; pick up the scent of a quarry |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | tragulare | to drag |
| 5 | Latin | trāgula | a javelin or dart having a throwing-strap (āmentum) |
via English vapour
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | vapour | British standard spelling of vapor |