incubate
IN-kyoo-beyt
/ˈɪnkjʊbeɪt/
To keep eggs warm and under proper conditions to promote embryonic development and hatching.
Can refer to a biological action (a hen sitting on eggs) or a mechanical process (using an industrial incubator).
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'incubare', which literally means 'to lie upon' (from 'in-' meaning 'upon' + 'cubare' meaning 'to lie down'). It perfectly describes the physical act of a bird resting its body weight on a nest to transfer its warmth to the eggs.
Word relationships
- brood: Brood specifically refers to a bird sitting on eggs or caring for young, whereas incubate can be both natural and mechanical.
- hatch: Hatch is the end result of the process, while incubate is the period of warming that leads up to it.
Commonly confused with
- gestate: Gestate refers to the development of an embryo inside a mother's body (mammals), whereas incubate refers to development outside the body, typically in an egg.
Word family
- incubator (noun): An apparatus for keeping eggs warm.
- incubation (noun): The act or process of incubating.
Collocations
- incubate eggs
- mechanically incubate
- incubate naturally
- period to incubate
Example sentences
- "A female mallard will incubate her clutch of eggs for approximately twenty-eight days before they hatch." Avian biology textbook.
- "To successfully incubate chicken eggs, the machine must maintain a constant temperature of 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit." Operating instructions for poultry equipment.
Memory hook
Think of an 'incubator' keeping a 'cube' of eggs warm inside a box. In-cub-ate: lying down in the cube to keep warm.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to the general raising of grown animals; it is strictly for the developmental stage inside the egg or early bacterial cultures.
Fun facts
- The incubation period for chicken eggs is exactly 21 days, while ducks require 28 days, and geese can take up to 35 days.
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