The stopping or slowing of bacterial growth and reproduction without actually killing the bacteria.
From Greek 'bakterion' (rod-shaped creature) + 'stasis' (stopping or standing still). The term emerged in microbiology in the late 1800s as scientists distinguished between killing bacteria and merely halting their growth.
This is how many mouthwashes and food preservatives work—they don't obliterate bacteria, they just pump the brakes on reproduction, buying your immune system time to catch up. It's biological stalemate!
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