Definition

The process of stopping bacteria from growing without killing them.

Example

The use of certain chemicals can lead to bacteriostasis, allowing the body to fight off infections more effectively.

Conversation

I read an interesting article about bacteriostasis in food preservation.

Oh really? How does that work?

It basically stops bacteria from growing without killing them.

That sounds useful, especially for keeping food fresh longer!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bacteriostasis → It is formed from "bacterium" (from Greek "bakterion", meaning rod or staff, referring to the shape of certain bacteria) and "stasis" (from Greek "stasis", meaning standing or stopping). The word describes a state in which bacterial growth is halted or stopped.

Memory Tip

Think of 'bacterium' referring to the rod-shaped organisms and 'stasis' meaning to stand still — together, they describe a condition where bacteria are kept from growing.

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