incubation

[in-kyuh-bey-shuhn, ing-]

noun

1. the act or process of incubating.

2. the state of being incubated.

3. incubation period.

incubation

1. The act of warming eggs in order to hatch them, as by a bird sitting upon a clutch of eggs in a nest.

2. The act of keeping an organism, a cell, or cell culture in conditions favorable for growth and development.

3. The maintenance of an infant, especially one that is ill or born before the usual gestation period, in an environment of controlled temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration in order to provide optimal conditions for growth and development.

4. The development of an infection from the time the pathogen enters the body until signs or symptoms first appear.

Other Word Forms

• incubational adjective
• incubatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of incubation¹

First recorded in 1605–15, incubation is from the Latin word incubātiōn- (stem of incubātiō ). See incubate, -ion

Example Sentences

"As these seaweed accumulations grow taller and more widespread, they risk blocking hatchlings entirely, draining their limited energy or leaving them stranded. Beyond impeding movement, sargassum may also reduce nesting space and alter incubation conditions."

Read more on Science Daily

The incubation period can stretch from several days to three weeks.

Read more on BBC

This is the most serious form of the plague and can have an incubation period of just one day.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Depending on the species of vulture we're talking about, incubation ranges from 50 days to almost two months.

Read more on Salon

Because of the lengthy incubation time, “we really have to get ahead of this,” Gounder said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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