How to pronounce incubate
Say it like IN-kyuh-bayt. Incubate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (IN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce incubate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- IN
- kyuh
- bayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Incubate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- INSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- kyuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- baytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of incubate
American and British speakers say incubate in essentially the same way: /ˈɪnkjəˌbeɪt/ in the US and /ˈɪnkjəˌbeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: IN-kyuh-bayt.
What does incubate mean?
- To brood, raise, or maintain eggs, organisms, or living tissue through the provision of ideal environmental conditions.
- To incubate metaphorically; to ponder an idea slowly and deliberately as if in preparation for hatching it.
- A preparation, or material, that has been incubated.
Where does incubate come from?
First attested in 1641; borrowed from Latin incubātus, an alternative to incubitus, perfect passive participle of incubō (“to hatch”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from in- (“in”) + cubō (“to lie”).
Questions about saying incubate
How do you pronounce incubate?
Say IN-kyuh-bayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈɪnkjəˌbeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈɪnkjəˌbeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in incubate?
Incubate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (IN). Broken into parts: IN · kyuh · bayt.
Do Americans and Brits say incubate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɪnkjəˌbeɪt/ and the British form is /ˈɪnkjəˌbeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.