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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 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
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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 28 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
incubation period
noun1
: 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
Britannica English: Translation of incubation period for Arabic Speakers
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