/dʒeˈsteɪʃn ||; dʒɛsˈteʃən/noun [U] [sing] the period of time that a baby human or animal develops inside its mother's body; the process of developing inside the mother's body 怀孕期；妊娠期: The gestation period of a horse is about eleven months. 马的妊娠期大约为十一个月。