incubate

/ˈɪŋkjəˌbeɪt/
verb
  1. To keep eggs warm so that they hatch, or to keep something in a controlled environment for development.
    • Farmers use machines to incubate chicken eggs in large numbers.
    • The scientist incubated the bacteria samples in a warm chamber.
    • The mother bird will incubate her eggs for about two weeks.
  2. To develop an idea, plan, or project over time before acting on it.
    • She needed time to incubate her business plan before presenting it to investors.
    • The team decided to incubate the new software idea for a few more months.
    • Great inventions often incubate in the inventor's mind for years.
  3. To help a new company or project grow by providing support and resources.
    • They launched a fund to incubate tech companies in the region.
    • The organization incubates social enterprises that address community needs.
    • The university program helps incubate student startups.
What does "incubate" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean