gestation

noun

je-ˈstā-shən How to pronounce gestation (audio)
Definition of gestationnext
as in pregnancy
the state of containing unborn young within the body the length of gestation for the gray wolf is about 63 days

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gestation Heifers are bred from between 12 to 15 months of age, and calves have a gestation period just under a year before staying up to 10 months with their mothers. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 The new songs on Goin’ Local are the result of a slow gestation period over several years, some beginning more than a decade ago with his co-producer Tony Shanahan, bassist from the Patti Smith Group. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026 For well over a century now, families have sported rows of rictus grins for the camera, but the subgenre of family portraiture (and, later, video clips) dedicated to conception, gestation, and birth is very much a product of the social media age. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 Sadly, an even smaller infant, 22 weeks of gestation and 300 grams, did not survive. — Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gestation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gestation
pregnancy
Noun
  • Amid the surprises, the families also celebrated the joy of welcoming their babies, especially for Brady, who said the pregnancy came after two miscarriages.
    — Marlee Ginter, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Starting menstruation before 12, reaching menopause after 55, having a first pregnancy after 30 or never having been pregnant can also raise risk.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of pregnancy

Browse Nearby Words

gest
gestation
gestational
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Cite this Entry

“Gestation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gestation. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gestation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gestation

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