incubator

/ˈɪŋkjubeɪtə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪŋkjubeɪtər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈiŋ-kyə-ˌbā-tər ˈin-/ (ame, mw)

incubator — noun

  • incubatorsingular
  • incubatorsplural

1. a heated, glass-sided box used in hospitals to keep a baby alive when the baby i

1.名詞C1
釋義

a heated, glass-sided box used in hospitals to keep a baby alive when the baby is born too early or is very weak, by giving steady warmth, clean air, and oxygen.

例句

Nikhil weighed only 900 grams at birth and spent six weeks in an incubator.

spend [time] in an incubator

The nurse adjusted the oxygen level inside Talia's incubator every two hours.

noun + possessive: someone's incubator

同義詞
  • isolette

    technical medical brand-name term for the same device

  • humidicrib

    Australian English term for a baby incubator

文法句型

in an incubator

be placed in an incubator

用法筆記

Almost always countable and singular — `an incubator` or `the incubator`. Frequently appears with prepositions `in`, `inside`, `from`, and verbs `place / put / spend / leave`.

常見錯誤

❌The baby is in the incubation.
✅The baby is in the incubator.
💡`incubation` is the process; `incubator` is the machine.
❌She gave birth in an incubator.
✅The baby was moved to an incubator after birth.
💡incubators hold babies after birth, not during it.

2. a heated box or cabinet for keeping bird or reptile eggs at the right warmth so

2.名詞C1
釋義

a heated box or cabinet for keeping bird or reptile eggs at the right warmth so the young inside grow and finally hatch out.

例句

Liam keeps a small incubator in the shed for the duck eggs from his pond.

domestic / hobby use

The chicken eggs sat in the incubator for twenty-one days before the chicks broke out.

duration: eggs sit in incubator before hatching

同義詞
  • hatcher

    narrower term for the final-stage device where eggs hatch

  • brooder

    different device — keeps newly-hatched chicks warm, not eggs

文法句型

eggs in an incubator

hatch in an incubator

用法筆記

Object is typically `eggs` of birds or reptiles. Common verbs: `keep`, `place`, `put`, `hatch`. Distinguish from sense 1 by what is inside — eggs (sense 2) versus a human baby (sense 1).

常見錯誤

❌The chicks live in the incubator.
✅The eggs are kept in the incubator until they hatch.
💡only eggs go in this kind of incubator; the chicks come out of it.