incubated

Variant of incubate

transitive verb incubated, incubating

  1. to sit on and hatch (eggs)
  2. to keep (eggs, embryos, bacteria, etc.) in a favorable environment for hatching or developing
  3. to cause to develop or take form, as by thought or planning

Origin: < L incubatus, pp. of incubare, to lie in or upon < in-, in- + cubare, to lie: see cube

intransitive verb

  1. to go through the process of incubation
  2. to develop or take form, esp. gradually
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
link/cite print suggestion box