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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The incubation period for the virus is between two and 21 days. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024 That said, the incubation period for E. coli is only a couple of days, so illness would be quickly apparent to anyone affected, said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 23 Oct. 2024 That longer incubation period has allowed Holmes to find new staff to help run and maintain the kitchen, as well as tinker and ready new items for the menu. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2024 Not coincidentally, the 1990s were also a period of Islamist insurgency in Egypt and Algeria and the incubation period for al Qaeda. Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 26 July 2022 See all Example Sentences for incubation period 

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incubation period was in 1879

Dictionary Entries Near incubation period

Cite this Entry

“Incubation period.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incubation%20period. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on incubation period

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