bacteriostasis

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/bækˈtɪəɹ.ɪəʊˌsteɪ.sɪs/

noun

A phase in which microbial organisms are prevented from undergoing further cell growth, without being actually killed.

OriginEnglish stasis ← New Latin bactērium ← Ancient Greek βακτήριον (baktḗrion) →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounbacteriostasis (countable and uncountable, plural bacteriostases)

plural bacteriostases

  1. countableuncountablebiologyA phase in which microbial organisms are prevented from undergoing further cell growth, without being actually killed.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekβακτήριον (baktḗrion)
  2. New Latinbactērium
  3. Englishbacterio-
  4. Englishstasis
  5. Englishbacteriostasis

From bacterio- + stasis.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

bacteriostasis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacteriostasis

MLA

“bacteriostasis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacteriostasis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bacteriostasis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacteriostasis.

Source: bacteriostasis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.