1. to carry developing offspring in the uterus during pregnancy
Usage: biological/medical
2. to develop gradually over time
Usage: figurative

Examples

• Elephants gestate for nearly two years.
• The mother will gestate the baby for nine months.
• Human females typically gestate for 40 weeks.
• The idea began to gestate in her mind.
• The plan gestated slowly over several months.
• His novel gestated for years before he began writing.
• The project gestated through multiple meetings and revisions.