noun
gestation
jehs-TAY-shuhn
Gestation (noun) means the period during which an unborn baby or animal develops inside the mother before birth. Example: “Human gestation lasts about nine months.”
noun
1
The period during which an unborn baby or animal develops inside the mother before birth.
"Human gestation lasts about nine months."
"Elephants have one of the longest gestation periods of any mammal."
2
The gradual development of a plan, idea, or project before it is finished or made public.
"The novel spent years in gestation before she finally started writing it."
How to use gestation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe time a baby (or an idea) spends developing before it "arrives."
Common pairings
gestation period
in gestation
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Word forms
- Plural
- gestations
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Human _____ lasts about nine months.
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin gestatio, related to gestare, "to carry" — the same idea as physically carrying a child.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for gestation
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for gestation →
Frequently asked questions
What does “gestation” mean?
The word “gestation” means the period during which an unborn baby or animal develops inside the mother before birth. In plain terms, the time a baby (or an idea) spends developing before it "arrives.".
How do you pronounce “gestation”?
“Gestation” is pronounced jehs-TAY-shuhn (/d͡ʒɛsˈteɪʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “gestation” in a sentence?
Here is “gestation” used in a sentence: “Human gestation lasts about nine months.”
What is another word for “gestation”?
Words with a similar meaning to “gestation” include pregnancy.
What part of speech is “gestation”?
“Gestation” is a noun.
Where does the word “gestation” come from?
The word “gestation” comes from Latin. A learned borrowing from Latin gestatio, related to gestare, "to carry" — the same idea as physically carrying a child.
How many meanings does “gestation” have?
“Gestation” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the period during which an unborn baby or animal develops inside the mother before birth.
