incubation

The definition of incubation is the process of keeping something at the right temperature and under the right conditions so it can develop.

(noun)

When a mother bird sits on her eggs until they are ready to hatch, this is an example of incubation.

See incubation in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

an incubating or being incubated
the phase in the development of a disease between the infection and the first appearance of symptoms

Origin: L incubatio

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See incubation in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. The act of incubating.
b. The state of being incubated.
Medicine The development of an infection from the time the pathogen enters the body until signs or symptoms first appear.
Medicine The maintenance of an infant, especially a premature infant, in an environment of controlled temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration in order to provide optimal conditions for growth and development.

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