incubation period

noun

: the period between the infection of an individual by a pathogen and the manifestation of the illness or disease it causes

Examples of incubation period in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The incubation period for Ebola disease is two to 21 days, but the average time between exposure and symptoms is eight to 10 days. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025

But with Klarna’s 20-year-long incubation period before going public, and several fundraising rounds, major parts of Silicon Valley are walking with a handsome return for their patience. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025

For this reason, infectious disease experts consider an outbreak to be over if no new cases are reported for 42 days or two incubation periods. —Dave Wessner, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025

After a two to eight day incubation period, patients may develop fever, headache, chills, weakness and one or more swollen, painful lymph nodes. —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 11 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for incubation period

• myriad
• photoperiod

Kids Definition

incubation period

noun

1

: the period of brooding or incubating required to bring an egg to hatching

2

: the period between infection with a germ and the appearance of the disease or illness it causes

Medical Definition

incubation period

noun

: the period between the infection of an individual by a pathogen and the manifestation of the disease it causes

Mono, which has an incubation period of 30 to 50 days, characteristically announces itself with headaches, fever, sore throat, tonsillitis, and extreme fatigue.

—Your Health & Fitness

Quarantines worked to control the SARS epidemic because SARS is much less contagious than flu and has a longer incubation period.

—Christine Gorman, Time