noun
eclipse period; eclipse phase
Virology term for the stage in a viral lifecycle after entry into a host cell when no complete virions are detectable.
ウイルスは宿主細胞に侵入した後、暗黒期に入る。
After entering the host cell, the virus enters the eclipse period.
noun
Metaphorical use for a period of stagnation, decline, or obscurity, often in historical or cultural contexts.
その文明は数世紀にわたる暗黒期を経験した。
That civilization experienced a dark age lasting several centuries.