To keep something, such as eggs or cells, at the right conditions so that life can develop; or to develop an idea or project slowly over time.
From Latin 'incubare' meaning 'to lie on, brood', from 'in-' (on) and 'cubare' (to lie down). It first described birds sitting on eggs.
To incubate is to protect something fragile while it quietly grows—whether that’s a chick in an egg, a startup in an incubator, or a thought in your mind. The action looks passive, but a lot is happening under the surface.
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