incubate

verb

in·​cu·​bate ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt How to pronounce incubate (audio)
ˈin-
incubated; incubating
Synonyms of incubatenext

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 How to pronounce incubate (audio)
ˈin-
adjective
incubatory
ˈiŋ-kyə-bə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce incubate (audio)
-ˌbā-tə-rē
ˈin-
adjective

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The job of the innovation lab is to incubate new technology at businesses and then help scale. — Megan Poinski, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 For a decade, beginning in 1978, employees of the Park Service’s Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery collected and incubated 22,507 eggs—10 to 20 nests of 100 or so eggs each per year—of which more than 17,300 hatched. — Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025 Many turtle eggs incubate best in sand temperatures below 35 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). — Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025 For the next month, nest watchers observed the adult birds patiently incubate their eggs while covered in snow during blizzards and chase off other animals that ventured too close. — Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for incubate

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of incubate was in 1641

Rhymes for incubate

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Browse Nearby Words

incubate
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Cite this Entry

“Incubate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incubate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

incubate

verb
in·​cu·​bate ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbāt How to pronounce incubate (audio)
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- How to pronounce incubate (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on incubate

Nglish: Translation of incubate for Spanish Speakers

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