Incubation

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Incubation \In`cu*ba"tion\, n. [L. incubatio: cf. F.
     incubation.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a
        brooding on, or keeping warm, (eggs) to develop the life
        within, by any process. --Ray.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Med.) The development of a disease from its causes, or
        its period of incubation. (See below.)
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A sleeping in a consecrated place for the purpose of
        dreaming oracular dreams. --Tylor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. The maintenance (of a living organism, such as
        microorganisms or a premature baby) in appropriate
        conditions, such as of temperature, humidity, or
        atmospheric composition, for growth.
        [PJC]
  
     5. The gradual development in some interior environment,
        until fully formed; as, the incubation time for developing
        a new drug may be longer than ten years from its first
        discovery.
        [PJC]
  
     {Period of incubation}, or {Stage of incubation} (Med.), the
        period which elapses between exposure to the causes of an
        infectious disease and the attack resulting from it; the
        time during which an infective agent must grow in the body
        before producing overt symptoms of disease.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  incubation
       n 1: maintaining something at the most favorable temperature for
            its development
       2: (pathology) the phase in the development of an infection
          between the time a pathogen enters the body and the time
          the first symptoms appear
       3: sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the
          body [syn: {brooding}]