induction period
nounUK /ɪnˈdʌkʃən ˈpɪəriəd/
US /ɪnˈdʌkʃən ˈpɪriəd/
The time you wait before something starts to happen.
The medicine has an induction period of about ten minutes before it begins to work.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In chemistry, the time at the beginning of a reaction when nothing seems to be happening yet.
During the induction period, the mixture stayed clear before suddenly turning blue.
3. In biology, the time between when a cell is exposed to something and when it begins to respond.
The induction period for the enzyme's activity lasted several hours.
4. In business, the time between starting a new job or process and when it becomes fully productive.
New employees go through a short induction period before taking on full duties.