latent period

noun

1. Pathology.,  Also the interval between exposure to a carcinogen, toxin, or disease-causing organism and development of a consequent disease.

2. Physiology.,  the interval between stimulus and reaction.

latent period

noun

1. the incubation period of an infectious disease, before symptoms appear

2. another name for latent time

latent period

1. The interval between exposure to an infectious organism or a carcinogen and the appearance of symptoms or signs of disease.

2. The period elapsing between the application of a stimulus and the expected response, such as the contraction of a muscle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of latent period¹

First recorded in 1830–40