incubation

1. Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process. (countable, uncountable)
2. The development of a disease from its causes, or the period of such development. (countable, uncountable)
3. A period of little reaction which is followed by more rapid reaction. (countable, uncountable)
4. One of the four proposed stages of creativity (preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification): the unconscious recombination of thought elements that were stimulated through conscious work at one point in time, resulting in novel ideas at a later point. (countable, uncountable)
5. Sleeping in a temple or other holy place in order to have oracular dreams or to receive healing. (countable, uncountable)

Plural incubations