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

But he warned there is a long way to go as the eggs are "only around two weeks into incubation" and a curlew's incubation period is around 28 days.

From BBC • May 31, 2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested passengers stay at the Nebraska facility through May 31, halfway through the incubation period for the disease.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

However, the virus has an incubation period of several weeks, meaning more cases from the ship's occupants could emerge in the future, Tedros warned.

From Barron's • May 18, 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

When a. filovirus begins to amplify itself in a human being, the incubation period is from three to eighteen days, while the number of virus particles climbs steadily in the bloodstream.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston