incubation

noun

in·​cu·​ba·​tion ˌiŋ-kyə-ˈbā-shən 

ˌin-

1

: the act or process of incubating

2

: incubation period

Examples of incubation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An outbreak is officially declared over after 42 days—equivalent to two 21-day incubation cycles of the virus—without any new cases and with all existing cases testing negative. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024

Those eggs didn't survive incubation, and populations declined to a mere 417 nesting pairs by 1963, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. —CBS News, 25 Dec. 2024

Comparing the company’s development to Facebook’s incubation on college campuses, Thompson says Plex is smart to tackle larger industry-size problems first in the context of the Ontario insurance market. —IEEE Spectrum, 22 June 2017

In his book The Art of Thought Graham Wallas, co-founder of the London School of Economics, argues that the creative process occurs in four stages: preparation, incubation, illumination and verification. —Hulan Hagen, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing incubation

• incubation period

Kids Definition

incubation

noun

in·​cu·​ba·​tion ˌiŋ-kyə-ˈbā-shən 

ˌin-

1

: the act or process of incubating

2

: incubation period

Medical Definition

incubation

noun

in·​cu·​ba·​tion ˌiŋ-kyə-ˈbā-shən, ˌin- 

1

: the act or process of incubating

2

: incubation period

incubational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective