incubate

verb

in·​cu·​bate ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt 

ˈin-

incubated; incubating

transitive verb

1

a

: to sit on (eggs) so as to hatch by the warmth of the body

b

: to maintain (something, such as an embryo or a chemically active system) under conditions favorable for hatching, development, or reaction

2

: to cause or aid the development of

incubate an idea

intransitive verb

1

: to sit on eggs

2

: to undergo incubation : develop

incubative

ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbā-tiv 

ˈin-

adjective

incubatory

ˈiŋ-kyə-bə-ˌtȯr-ē 

-ˌbā-tə-rē

ˈin-

adjective

Synonyms

• brood
• hatch
• set
• sit

Examples of incubate in a Sentence

The female bird incubates the eggs.

Researchers incubated the cells in the laboratory.

The cultures must incubate for five more days.

The virus will incubate in the body for several days before the patient experiences any symptoms.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some wildlife scientists believe that the now-infamous decline is being spurred on by seasons that start too early in the Spring, when Toms are still breeding hens that haven’t begun to incubate their eggs. —Travis Hall, Field & Stream, 4 Apr. 2024

They’re seen as a relatively low-cost way to incubate concepts and test out characters and worlds. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024

The emphasis of water highlights the connection between Europa and our home world—both are laden with oceans that can potentially incubate life. —Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024

Base is incubated within Coinbase, which allows for seamless integration with the Coinbase ecosystem and allows Base to draw on Coinbase’s security best practices. —Sandy Carter, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Lawlessness in the Golden Triangle may incubate the scamdemic, but poverty is what drives so many thousands into the gangs’ clutches. —TIME, 21 Mar. 2024

Researchers incubated the leukemia cells with different concentrations of osha root. —Barbie Cervoni, Verywell Health, 11 Mar. 2024

An extra step incubated each target with T-cells gleaned from each patient’s blood. —Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024

Male Emperor Penguins incubate a single egg on their feet for around two months in the Antarctic winter while the female goes out to sea to feed. —Popsci Staff, Popular Science, 28 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin incubatus, past participle of incubare, from in- + cubare to lie

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

incubate

verb

in·​cu·​bate ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt 

ˈin-

incubated; incubating

1

: to sit on eggs to hatch them by warmth

2

: to maintain (as bacteria or a chemically active system) under conditions good for development or reaction

3

: to go through the process of incubation

Medical Definition

incubate

verb

in·​cu·​bate ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt, ˈin- 

incubated; incubating

transitive verb

1

: to maintain (as eggs, embryos of animals, or bacteria) under prescribed and usually controlled conditions favorable for hatching or development especially in an incubator

2

: to maintain (a chemically active system) under controlled conditions for the development of a reaction

intransitive verb

: to undergo incubation

the cultures incubated for five days