Topic: MICROBES, GENETICS, BIOCHEM
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| Date: | 1600-1700 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Origin: | , past participle of incubare 'to lie on', from cubare 'to lie' |
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in‧cu‧bate
[intransitive and transitive]
[intransitive and transitive]1HBB if a bird incubates its eggs, or if the eggs incubate, they are kept warm until they hatch (=the birds inside are born)
2 technicalHBMMI if a disease incubates, or if you incubate it, it develops in your body until you show physical signs of it
—incubation noun [uncountable] Hepatitis has a long incubation period.
noun [uncountable] Hepatitis has a long incubation period.