Gestation
/dʒɛsˈteɪ.ʃən/noun
The process of carrying or being carried in the womb between conception and birth.
Did you know?In ancient times, gestation was believed to be influenced by the alignment of the stars, linking birth with celestial energies.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gest-
“to bear, carry”
Latin
Latin
gestatio
“a carrying, bearing, or gestation”
Late Latin
Late Latin
gestationem
“the act of carrying or bearing (especially of a fetus)”
Old French
Old French
gestation
“the act of carrying (a child) in the womb”
Middle English
Middle English
gestacioun
“the period of development of a fetus in the womb”
Modern English
English
gestation
“the process of carrying a developing fetus within the womb”