Gestation: meaning, definitions and examples

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gestation

 

[ dʒɛˈsteɪʃ(ə)n ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

biology

The process of carrying or developing offspring in the uterus from conception to birth.

Synonyms

gestation period, incubation, pregnancy

Examples of usage

  • The gestation period for elephants is around 22 months.
  • The gestation of a human baby lasts approximately nine months.
Context #2 | Noun

figurative

The process of developing or maturing gradually.

Synonyms

development, evolution, maturation

Examples of usage

  • The gestation of a new idea can take time to fully develop.
  • The gestation of a business plan requires careful planning and execution.

Translations

Translations of the word "gestation" in other languages:

🇵🇹 gestação

🇮🇳 गर्भावस्था

🇩🇪 Schwangerschaft

🇮🇩 kehamilan

🇺🇦 вагітність

🇵🇱 ciąża

🇯🇵 妊娠 (にんしん)

🇫🇷 gestation

🇪🇸 gestación

🇹🇷 gebelik

🇰🇷 임신 (妊娠)

🇸🇦 حمل

🇨🇿 těhotenství

🇸🇰 tehotenstvo

🇨🇳 怀孕 (huáiyùn)

🇸🇮 nosečnost

🇮🇸 meðganga

🇰🇿 жүктілік

🇬🇪 ორსულობა

🇦🇿 hamiləlik

🇲🇽 gestación

Etymology

The word 'gestation' originated from the Latin word 'gestatio', which means 'a carrying' or 'a carrying in the womb'. The term has been used in biological contexts to refer to the process of carrying offspring in the uterus since the 1600s. In a figurative sense, 'gestation' has been used to describe the gradual development or maturation of ideas or plans since the 1800s.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,986, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.