Word: gestation (noun)

Associations

"Gestation" refers to the period of development inside the mother's womb from conception until birth. It is most often used in biology and medicine to describe pregnancy.

• Example 1: "The gestation period for humans is about nine months." This means the baby develops inside the mother for nine months.
• Example 2: "Elephants have a long gestation period, around 22 months." This shows animals can have different gestation lengths.
• Example 3: "Scientists study gestation to understand fetal development." This refers to the process during pregnancy.

A well-known synonym is "pregnancy," but "gestation" is more formal and scientific. "Pregnancy" is used more in everyday language, while "gestation" focuses on the biological process and time period.

Substitution

Instead of "gestation," you can say:

• "pregnancy" (more common and everyday)
• "development period" (more general, not only for babies)
• "incubation" (used for eggs, not mammals)

Using "pregnancy" makes the sentence more casual, while "gestation" is better for scientific or medical contexts.

Deconstruction

The word "gestation" comes from Latin "gestatio," meaning "a carrying" or "to carry."

• Root: "gest-" means "to carry" or "to bear."
• Suffix: "-ation" turns the verb into a noun, meaning the process or action.
  So, "gestation" literally means the process of carrying (a baby) inside the body.

Inquiry

• Can you think of animals with very short or very long gestation periods?
• How might the word "gestation" be used when talking about ideas or projects, not just babies?
• Have you ever heard the word "gestation" in a story or a science class? What was the context?

Thinking about these questions helps you use "gestation" correctly and remember its meaning better.