# incubator

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɪn.kjuːˌbeɪ.tə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #24,478

## Definitions
1. Any apparatus used to maintain environmental conditions suitable for a reaction.
2. An apparatus used to maintain environmental conditions suitable for a newborn baby.
3. An apparatus used to maintain environmental conditions suitable for the hatching of eggs.
4. A place to maintain the culturing of bacteria at a steady temperature.
5. A support programme for the development of entrepreneurial companies.

## Etymology
From incubate + -or.

## Easily confused with
- **insulator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/incubator-vs-insulator)
- **incubation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/incubation-vs-incubator)

## Common misspellings (13)
`icnubator`, `incbuator`, `inccubator`, `incuabtor`, `incubaotr`, `incubatorr`, `incubatro`, `incubattor`, `incubbator`, `incubtaor`, `inncubator`, `inucbator`, `nicubator`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/incubator