wake
n. countablen. the track of waves or disturbed water left behind a moving boat. You can also use it to describe the path of air left behind a flying plane.
n. the track of waves or disturbed water left behind a moving vessel; by extension, the turbulent air left behind an aircraft. Often used metaphorically to describe the consequences or aftermath of an event.
The small boat rocked in the wake of the large ship.
The pilot warned the smaller aircraft about the wake turbulence created by the departing jumbo jet.
The legislative changes left a series of unintended economic consequences in their wake, forcing local businesses to adapt rapidly to the new regulatory landscape.
Frequently used in the prepositional phrase 'in the wake of' to mean 'following' or 'as a result of'.