What does bacteriostatic mean?

Bacteriostatic refers to the ability to inhibit bacterial growth without necessarily killing the bacteria. This means that a bacteriostatic agent stops bacteria from multiplying and growing, effectively controlling an infection or bacterial population. It is important in microbiological and clinical contexts because it allows the body's immune system to eliminate the inhibited bacteria more effectively when growth is ceased.

In contrast, the other options describe different effects that do not align with the definition of bacteriostatic. For example, killing all bacteria would be the definition of a bactericidal agent. Encouraging bacterial reproduction or enhancing bacterial activity would imply promoting growth and proliferation, which is contrary to the idea of inhibiting growth. Hence, inhibiting bacterial growth is the hallmark of what makes an agent bacteriostatic.