osmosis
UK[ɒzˈməʊsɪs]US[ɑːzˈmoʊsɪs]
n
The gradual process by which knowledge, ideas, or feelings are absorbed by someone, often without conscious effort.
n
The process by which a solvent passes through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one, equalizing the concentrations on each side.
Morpheme Breakdown
osmo
sis
osmo
push, thrust
sis
process, action
Etymology
The word 'osmosis' was coined in the mid-19th century by the British scientist Thomas Graham, who adapted it from the earlier, now obsolete, term 'endosmose.' He derived it from the Greek ōsmos (a push or thrust), which itself is related to the verb ōthein (to push). The suffix -sis was a standard Greek formation for abstract nouns denoting a process. The scientific term was created to describe the physical phenomenon of a solvent being "pushed" through a membrane. The figurative sense, describing the unconscious absorption of ideas, developed later by analogy to this passive, natural process.
Analysis
Structure: osmo (push, thrust) + sis (process, action)
'osmo' is from Greek ōsmos, meaning "a push, thrust, or impulse." 'sis' is a Latinized suffix from Greek -sis, indicating a process, action, or condition.
Examples
She learned about business through osmosis while working at her father's company.
In biology class, we observed osmosis in plant cells placed in a salt solution.
A sense of calm seemed to enter the room by osmosis.