osmosis
osmosis Lexical Profile
osmosis Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one, thus equalizing the concentrations on each side of the membrane.
"Plant roots absorb water from the surrounding soil primarily through the process of osmosis."
The process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge, or cultural influences through continuous exposure.
"Growing up in a bilingual household, she seemed to pick up a second language almost by osmosis."
• Rhymes for osmosis
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-19th century as a Latinized alteration of the earlier term 'osmose' (introduced by Scottish chemist Thomas Graham in 1854), ultimately derived from Ancient Greek 'ōsmos' meaning 'a push' or 'an impulse'.