What does gestation mean?
Gestation most commonly means the period of pregnancy, particularly the time between conception and birth. In human beings, a typical gestation lasts about 40 weeks, although its precise length varies among species and individuals. The word can also describe a process of gradual development: a plan, product, or organization may be said to be in gestation while it is being refined and prepared for release. In this extended use, gestation conveys an organic and progressive quality, suggesting that the final form is emerging through time rather than appearing suddenly. The term is usually formal, clinical, or technical, and its extended sense can sound abstract or metaphorical. It is useful when the focus is on the development period itself, especially when comparing conception with the continuing process of pregnancy or describing how an idea develops before becoming established.
nounThe period of pregnancy, especially in humans and other mammals, from conception to birth; by extension, the process or period during which something develops before completion.
- The period of pregnancy, especially in humans and other mammals, from conception to birth.
- The process or period of development, especially of an idea, project, or product, before completion.
"The project is still in gestation, though the team hopes to launch it next year."
"Most healthy pregnancies reach full term after about 40 weeks of gestation."
"The company’s new service remained in gestation for several months while the prototype was refined."
The plural is used for separate pregnancy or developmental periods.
"The study compared the gestations of several mammalian species."
From a Latin root meaning “to carry,” gestation describes the period in which new life is literally being carried and something new is taking shape.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gestation come from?
The English word comes through medieval French from Latin, where gestare meant “to carry” and gestation referred to being carried, especially in pregnancy. Latin gestare was related to gerere, “to bear” or “carry,” the source of cognates such as gesture and gesticulate. Over time, gestation developed its modern sense for pregnancy and was also extended metaphorically to processes of development.
Related word forms
How gestation is actually used
Gestation is formal or technical when referring to pregnancy and is often used figuratively for the development of a plan, project, or product. It is broader than “conception,” which refers to the beginning of pregnancy rather than the full period of development before birth.