incubate

American  

[in-kyuh-beyt, ing-] / ˈɪn kyəˌbeɪt, ˈɪŋ- /

verb (used with object)

incubated, incubating

1. to sit upon (eggs) for the purpose of hatching.

2. to hatch (eggs), as by sitting upon them or by artificial heat.

3. to maintain at a favorable temperature and in other conditions promoting development, as cultures of bacteria or prematurely born infants.

4. to develop or produce as if by hatching; give form to.

   His brain was incubating schemes for raising money.

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verb (used without object)

incubated, incubating

1. to sit upon eggs.

2. to undergo incubation.

3. to develop; grow; take form.

   A plan was slowly incubating in her mind.

incubate British  

/ ˈɪnkjʊˌbeɪt /

verb

1. (of birds) to supply (eggs) with heat for their development, esp by sitting on them

2. to cause (eggs, embryos, bacteria, etc) to develop, esp in an incubator or culture medium

3. (intr) (of eggs, embryos, bacteria, etc) to develop in favourable conditions, esp in an incubator

4. (intr) (of disease germs) to remain inactive in an animal or human before causing disease

5. to develop or cause to develop gradually; foment or be fomented

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Other Word Forms

• incubation
  noun
• incubational
  adjective
• incubative
  adjective
• unincubated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of incubate

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin incubātus, past participle of incubāre “to lie or recline on, to sit on (eggs),” equivalent to in- “in” + cub(āre) “to sit, lie down” + -ātus past participle suffix; see in- ², -ate ¹. Cf. incumbent, concubine

Explanation

When a chicken sits on an egg, it incubates it. To incubate means to keep something safe and warm so that it can grow. The word can be used metaphorically to mean to keep something safe in order for it to have time to grow. You incubate a plan or an idea before bringing it into the world, or, metaphorically speaking, hatching it. Premature or particularly small babies are placed into an incubator when they are born. This warm, clean environment helps them to grow.

Example Sentences

The Incubate Coalition, which informs policymakers about the role of venture capital in developing treatments, said the disparate treatment between categories is a flaw.

From Washington Times • Aug. 29, 2023

The writer is executive director of Incubate, a Washington-based coalition of life-science venture capitalists.

From Washington Post • Jun. 5, 2022

Incubate the plates for a set number of days to allow fungal growth and spreading of the mycelium over the surface of the plate.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Incubate until the blastocyst convolutes itself then implant it in mother.

From Nature • Jul. 25, 2012

Incubate at 37° C. for forty-eight hours to eliminate contaminated tubes.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by Eyre, J. W. H. (John William Henry)