in·cu·bate 
/ˈɪŋkjəˌbeɪt/ verb
in·cu·bates; in·cu·bat·ed; in·cu·bat·ing /ˈɪŋkjəˌbeɪt/ verb 1 a [+ obj] of a bird : to sit on eggs so that they will be kept warm and will hatch
▪ The female bird incubates the eggs.
b [no obj] of an egg : to be kept warm before hatching
▪ The eggs needs to incubate for two weeks. 2 technical : to keep (something) in the proper conditions for development [+ obj] ▪ Researchers incubated the cells in the laboratory. [no obj] ▪ The cultures must incubate for five more days. ▪ The virus will incubate in the body for several days before the patient experiences any symptoms. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ The plan had been incubating [=developing] in his mind for several weeks.
▪ The female bird incubates the eggs.
b [no obj] of an egg : to be kept warm before hatching
▪ The eggs needs to incubate for two weeks.
— in·cu·ba·tion /ˌɪŋkjəˈbeɪʃən/ noun, plural in·cu·ba·tions
[noncount] ▪ The temperature must remain steady during incubation. ▪ a long incubation period [=a time during which something (such as an egg) is incubating or being incubated] [count] ▪ a long incubation
/ˌɪŋkjəˈbeɪʃən/ noun, plural in·cu·ba·tions [noncount] ▪ The temperature must remain steady during incubation. ▪ a long incubation period [=a time during which something (such as an egg) is incubating or being incubated] [count] ▪ a long incubation
