v. i. & t. [ imp. & p. p. Incubated p. pr. & vb. n. Incubating ] [ L. incubatus, p. p. incubare to lie on; pref. in- in, on + cubare to lie down. Cf. Cubit, Incumbent. ] 1. To sit, as on eggs for hatching; to brood; to brood upon, or keep warm, as eggs, for the purpose of hatching. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To maintain (a living organism, such as microorganisms or a premature baby) under appropriate conditions, such as of temperature, humidity, or atmospheric composition, for growth; as, coliform bacteria grow best when incubated at 37° C.. [ PJC ]

3. To develop gradually in some interior environment, until fully formed; as, the ideas for his book were incubating for two years before he began to write. [ PJC ]

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 ]

a. Of or pertaining to incubation, or to the period of incubation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which incubates, especially, an apparatus by means of which eggs are hatched by artificial heat. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An apparatus containing an enclosed chamber, used for the cultivation of microörganisms or tissue cultures by maintaining a suitable temperature and atmospheric composition. Some incubators have no provision for maintaining a special atmosphere, while in others, especially for anaerobic organisms and tissue culture, the moisture level and composition of the gases are also controlled. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

3. (Med.) An apparatus consisting of enclosed chamber, for maintaining prematurely born babies in a favorable environment until able to thrive under normal conditions. The temperature and level of oxygen in the atmosphere may be controlled. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

a. Serving for incubation. [ 1913 Webster ]