What does "incubation" mean?

Incubation: (Med.) The development of a disease from its causes, or its period of incubation. (See below.)

Additional senses

  1. 2.A sleeping in a consecrated place for the purpose of dreaming oracular dreams. Tylor. Period of incubation, or Stage of incubation (Med.), the period which elapses between exposure to the causes of a disease and the attack resulting from it; the time of development of the supposed germs or spores.

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