incubation period

American  

noun

Pathology.

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

---

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

---

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of incubation period

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

The typical incubation period for the virus is between one and six weeks, WHO epidemic prevention chief Maria Van Kerkhove said Tuesday -- suggesting infection among the Dutch couple before boarding.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

The incubation period can be as long as eight weeks, and there are no treatments or vaccines in the U.S.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

The virus’s up-to-eight-week incubation period means that passengers and crew could face monitoring for weeks after leaving the ship.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

But because meningitis has an incubation period of up to 10 days, more time is needed before the outbreak can be declared over, he said.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Doctors performed the operation while he was in the incubation period after his exposure to Ebola.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston