Incubation period

/ˌɪnkjuːbˈeɪʃən pˈiəɹɪəd/

[noun]

Incubation period

[NOUN]

the time between exposure to a pathogen and the onset of symptoms

Examples

1. That's the incubation period.

2. And it has a very long incubation period of up to a year.

3. After a six-day incubation period the researchers will test the animals to determine whether the virus has multiplied, and if the cattle are already exhibiting symptoms.

4. In the 1995 film Outbreak, the fictional Motaba virus isn't just 100% fatal, it also has an incubation period measured in hours and kills its victims within a day.