1796, from French incroyable, literally “incredible” (15c.), from in- “not, opposite of, without” (see in- (1)) + croire “to believe,” from Latin credere (see credo). Name for the French fop or dandy of the period of the Directory (1795-99). Said to be so called from their extravagant dress and from a favorite expression among them (“C’est vraiment incroyable”).


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    [in-kruhst] /ɪnˈkrʌst/ verb (used with object) 1. to cover or line with a crust or hard coating. 2. to form into a crust. 3. to deposit as a crust. verb (used without object) 4. to form a crust: They scraped off the barnacles that always incrusted on the ship’s hull. /ɪnˈkrʌst/ verb 1. a variant […]

  • Incrustation

    [in-kruh-stey-shuh n] /ˌɪn krʌˈsteɪ ʃən/ noun 1. an or being . 2. a crust or coat of anything on the surface of a body; covering, coating, or scale. 3. the inlaying or addition of enriching materials on or to a surface or an object. 4. the enriching materials inlaid on or added to a surface […]

  • Incubate

    [in-kyuh-beyt, ing-] /ˈɪn kyəˌbeɪt, ˈɪŋ-/ verb (used with object), incubated, incubating. 1. to sit upon (eggs) for the purpose of hatching. 2. to hatch (eggs), as by sitting upon them or by artificial heat. 3. to maintain at a favorable temperature and in other conditions promoting development, as cultures of bacteria or prematurely born infants. […]

  • Incubation

    [in-kyuh-bey-shuh n, ing-] /ˌɪn kyəˈbeɪ ʃən, ˌɪŋ-/ noun 1. the act or process of . 2. the state of being . 3. . n. 1610s, “brooding,” from Latin incubationem (nominative incubatio) “a laying upon eggs,” noun of action from past participle stem of incubare “to hatch,” literally “to lie on, rest on,” from in- “on” […]
