incubation period

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. the period between infection and the appearance of signs of a disease.

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incubation period British  

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: incubation.  med the time between exposure to an infectious disease and the appearance of the first signs or symptoms

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incubation period Cultural  

1. The amount of time it takes for symptoms of a disease to appear after an individual is infected (see infection) with the pathogen that causes the disease.

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Etymology

Origin of incubation period

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

The incubation period is between two and 21 days, and people aren’t usually contagious before symptoms.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

With hantavirus, the incubation period can take up to six weeks, so people must be isolated for a really long time to ensure they won’t get sick and start infecting others.

From Slate • May 16, 2026

“Of course, the situation could change, and given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks.”

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

But Argentine health officials have questioned whether the outbreak originated in Ushuaia, based on the virus's weeks-long incubation period and other factors.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

Smallpox has an incubation period of about twelve days, during which time sufferers, who may not know they are sick, can infect anyone they meet.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann