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Noun: latency period  'ley-t(u)n(t)-see'peer-ee-ud
  1. (psychoanalysis) the fourth period (from about age 5 or 6 until puberty) during which sexual interests are supposed to be sublimated into other activities
    "During the latency period, children often focus on same-sex friendships";
    - latency stage, latency phase

Derived forms: latency periods

Type of: phase, stage

Part of: childhood

Encyclopedia: Latency period