osmosis
UK /ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs/ · US /ɑzˈmoʊ̯sɪs/ noun
Forms osmoses
- noun (chemistry) The net movement of solvent molecules, usually water, from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration through a partially permeable membrane.
- noun (figurative) Passive absorption or impartation of information, habits, etc.; the process of teaching or learning particular knowledge incidentally rather than consciously. “I was reading about chickens, and I guess I learned about hawks through osmosis.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From endosmose and exosmose, both coined by French physician Henri Dutrochet in 1826; from (respectively) Ancient Greek ἔνδον (éndon, “within”) and Ancient Greek ἔξω (éxō, “outer, external”), plus Ancient Greek ὠσμός (ōsmós, “push, impulsion”), from ὠθέω (ōthéō).
Webster’s 1913
- noun Osmose.
Etymology [NL.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “osmosis”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details