Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Incubation has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
maintaining something at the most favorable temperature for its development
"The gardener carefully monitored the humidity and adjusted the thermostat to maintain the perfect incubation conditions for her newly hatched chicks."
(pathology) the phase in the development of an infection between the time a pathogen enters the body and the time the first symptoms appear
"After being bitten by the mosquito, he spent two weeks in the incubation period before finally developing fever and chills."
sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
"After returning from her morning walk, the hen quickly settled back onto the nest to resume incubating her clutch."
Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process.
"The mother hen spent twelve hours every day on her clutch during the incubation period to ensure the chicks would hatch healthy."