adjective
- inhibiting or slowing the growth and reproduction of bacteria without killing them
Usage: medical/pharmaceutical term; contrasts with bactericidal
Examples
- The doctor prescribed a bacteriostatic antibiotic to stop the infection from spreading.
- Bacteriostatic agents allow the immune system to eliminate bacteria naturally.
- This soap contains bacteriostatic compounds that prevent bacterial multiplication.
- Unlike bactericidal drugs, bacteriostatic medications do not directly kill pathogens.
- The laboratory tested the bacteriostatic properties of the new compound.