bacteriostatic agent
Technical term used in medicine, microbiology, and pharmacology for a substance that inhibits bacterial growth without necessarily killing the bacteria.
This ointment contains a bacteriostatic agent.
Compound of 静 (sei, 'static, still') + 菌 (kin, 'bacteria') + 剤 (zai, 'agent, medicine'). The term is a modern technical coinage.