noun

incubation

ing-kyuh-BAY-shun/ˌɪŋkjuˈbeɪʃn/

The care of developing living material under supportive conditions.

The incubator keeps the eggs warm throughout incubation until they hatch.

A scientific egg incubator with a clear window showing warm eggs and one newly hatching chick, no labels.

Etymology

inLatinon, upon

+cubLatinto lie

+ationLatinaction or process

The pieces name the process of “lying upon,” specifically a bird sitting on eggs to hatch them. The selected meaning emphasizes the warmth maintained during that process.

In context

The Happy Chicken Coop3:56

to you, they will need to settle for at least 12 hours pointed end down. This resting period helps to settle the contents of the egg before you start the incubation and give them the best chance of hatching.

From Incubator to Chick: Nailing the Egg Hatching Process

More examples

The eggs need about three weeks of incubation before hatching.
Incubation at a steady temperature helps the bacterial culture grow.
The idea benefits from a long period of incubation.

Forms

incubation

incubate verb — Keep under conditions suitable for development.

incubator noun — A device maintaining conditions for biological development.

Similar words

brooding: Specifically describes a bird sitting on eggs to warm them.
cultivation: Emphasizes actively growing organisms rather than maintaining supportive conditions.