1Medicine The period between infection with a virus or other microorganism and the onset of symptoms, or between exposure to radiation and the appearance of a cancer.
〔医〕潜伏期
Example sentencesExamples
Expect a 3-to 6-week latent period before the full effect is seen at therapeutic doses.
We report two cases of hidradenitis suppurativa in which squamous cell carcinoma developed after a latent period of 20 years and 35 years, respectively, despite repeated local excisions.
After asbestos exposure, asbestosis becomes evident only after an appreciable latent period.
Clinically apparent asbestosis occurs only after a significant latent period.
As with tobacco, there will be a latent period between the onset of smoking and the development of lung damage, cardiovascular disease, or malignant change.
It is generally assumed that episodes of brain cancer that appear after latent periods of less than 10 years are merely coincidental associations, not sentinel indicators of causation.
There is generally a latent period of 20 to 40 years between the occurrence of rheumatic fever and the onset of symptoms.
There is a long latent period of 20-40 years between exposure and disease expression.
2Physiology The delay between the receipt of a stimulus by a sensory nerve and the response to it.
〔生理〕反应期（指感觉神经接受刺激后反应时间的延迟）
Definition of latent period in US English:
latent period
noun
1Medicine The period between infection with a virus or other microorganism and the onset of symptoms, or between exposure to radiation and the appearance of a cancer.
〔医〕潜伏期
Example sentencesExamples
It is generally assumed that episodes of brain cancer that appear after latent periods of less than 10 years are merely coincidental associations, not sentinel indicators of causation.
There is generally a latent period of 20 to 40 years between the occurrence of rheumatic fever and the onset of symptoms.
After asbestos exposure, asbestosis becomes evident only after an appreciable latent period.
We report two cases of hidradenitis suppurativa in which squamous cell carcinoma developed after a latent period of 20 years and 35 years, respectively, despite repeated local excisions.
Clinically apparent asbestosis occurs only after a significant latent period.
Expect a 3-to 6-week latent period before the full effect is seen at therapeutic doses.
As with tobacco, there will be a latent period between the onset of smoking and the development of lung damage, cardiovascular disease, or malignant change.
There is a long latent period of 20-40 years between exposure and disease expression.
2Physiology The delay between the receipt of a stimulus by a sensory nerve and the response to it.