incubation
/ɪŋkjʊˈbeɪʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
The process of incubating eggs, cells, bacteria, a disease, etc. the chick hatches after a month’s incubation...
- Viable molds and bacteria were determined by incubation on two different media.
- Sensitivity of culture isolation increased with higher initial inocula and shorter incubation.
- It is infectious but the transmission of infection and the period of incubation of the disease are unusual.
Derivatives
incubative
/ adjective ...- The center will be built into an incubative base of new and high technology and products.
- The prolonged incubative period of the disease and the remarkable resistance of the causal agent to formalin are features of distinct interest.
- Endow cutting-edge transdisciplinary projects with an incubative environment and research support to foster major funding capabilities
incubatory
/ adjective ...- What was happening in those blank, incubatory months?
- A similar view of the head, and the incubatory pouch lying on the right side of the pallial skirt.
- It may be best to remove the floating plants to an incubatory tank at the conclusion of the spawning ritual.
Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin incubatio(n-) 'brooding', from the verb incubare (see incubate).
cubicle from Late Middle English:
A cubicle is now any small partitioned-off area, but at first it was specifically a little place for lying down or a bedroom. The source is Latin cubiculum, from cubare ‘to lie down’, source also of incumbent (Late Middle English). Incubation (early 17th century) is based on the same Latin word, as is concubine (Middle English), originally someone you go to bed with.