What does "incubation" mean?
Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process.
Incubation
/ɪnkjuːˈbeɪʃən/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process.
- Grammar: incubation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: brooding, chickening, covering, cultivation.
- Useful contrasts: cooling, execution, exposure.
- Usage evidence: The incubation period can take up to two weeks.
How to use "incubation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "incubation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "incubation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "incubation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "incubation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "incubation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "brooding" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "incubation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process. countable, uncountable
- 2 maintaining something at the most favorable temperature for its development wordnet
- 3 The development of a disease from its causes, or the period of such development. countable, uncountable
"1829, A Practical Synopsis of Cutaneous Diseases The course of small-pox, whether distinct or confluent, may be divided into five stages, which are known under the names of incubation, invasion, eruption, suppuration, and desiccation. This division, founded on the most prominent symptoms that the disease presents, although it is an arbitrary one, still affords a facility in the study. The period of incubation comprises the interval of time that elapses from the infection to the beginning of the attack; its duration is from six to twenty days. It is not designated by any visible symptom, as the individual apparently continues in good health."
- 4 sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body wordnet
- 5 A period of little reaction which is followed by more rapid reaction. countable, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 (pathology) the phase in the development of an infection between the time a pathogen enters the body and the time the first symptoms appear wordnet
- 7 One of the four proposed stages of creativity (preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification): the unconscious recombination of thought elements that were stimulated through conscious work at one point in time, resulting in novel ideas at a later point. countable, uncountable
- 8 Sleeping in a temple or other holy place in order to have oracular dreams or to receive healing. countable, uncountable
"Incubation in the vicinity of burial places, cremation grounds, holy wells and sacred streams was common. The ancient Hebrews visited vaults or slept among tombs to get meaningful dreams."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The incubation period can take up to two weeks."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "incubation"?
Common synonyms include: brooding, chickening, covering, cultivation, development, development phase.
How do you use "incubation" in a sentence?
The incubation period can take up to two weeks.
How do you pronounce "incubation"?
Pronounced /ɪnkjuːˈbeɪʃən/.
Etymology
From Latin incubātiō, from incubō (“to lie on”).