bacteriostatic

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: bac=te=ri=o=stat=ic

CIDE DICTIONARY

bacteriostatic, adj. 

•  of or pertaining to bacteriostasis or a bacteriostat.  [WordNet 1.5]
•  causing bacteriostasis; -- said of chemical substances, such as certain antibacterial agents.  [PJC]

  " Substances, such as antibiotics, which inhibit bacterial growth are usually classified as bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal depending on the rate at which bacteria exposed to the agents{4} die. The rates of death of bacteria exposed to antibacterial agents{4} are, however, dependent on the concentration of the agent{4}, and form a continuum with some antibacterial agents{4} of intermediate type. The penicillins are considered as typical bactericidal agents, and chloramphenicol or the sulfa drugs as typical bacteriostatic agents. In general, inhibitors of cell-wall synthesis will be bactericidal and many inhibitors of protein synthesis are classed as bacteriostatic, but some of the aminoglycosides also kill bacteria rapidly."  [PJC]