English
incubation
Incubation comes from Latin incubō ‘to lie on’, from Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*kubāō‘to lie down’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*enkubāō‘to lie in’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEincubō‘to lie on’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEincubātiō
- Englishearliest quotation 1978incubation
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*kubāō‘to lie down’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*enkubāō‘to lie in’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEincubō‘to lie on’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEincubātiō
- Englishearliest quotation 1978incubation
Earliest quotation: 1978, Benjamin Walker, Encyclopedia of Metaphysical Medicine: “Incubation in the vicinity of burial places, cremation grounds,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
in, internal, entrance, indigenous, intern, endo, dysentery, interregnum, enteral, 33 more
through Proto-Italic *en ‘in’
encounter, ensemble, intimate, intestine, agog, intimation, 9 more
through Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’
impulse, infirmary, incense, infirm, impel, censer, 8 more
through Proto-Italic *kubāō ‘to lie down’
Today it means
noun Sitting on eggs for the purpose of hatching young; a brooding on, or keeping warm, to develop the life within, by any process.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁én / incubation