Word of the Day: Osmosis

It's Wednesday! The word of the day is

- Osmosis -

pronounced [oz-moh-sis, os-]

noun

1. Physical Chemistry, Cell Biology .

a. the tendency of a fluid, usually water, to pass through a semipermeable membrane into a solution where the solvent concentration is higher, thus equalizing the concentrations of materials on either side of the membrane.

b. the diffusion of fluids through membranes or porous partitions. Compare endosmosis, exosmosis.

2. a subtle or gradual absorption or mingling: He never studies but seems to learn by osmosis.

Origin

1867, originally endosmose (1830s) "inward passage of a fluid through a porous septum," from Fr. endo- "inward" + Gk. osmos "a thrusting, a pushing," from othein "to push, to thrust," from PIE *wedhe- "to push, strike" (cf. Skt. vadhati "pushes, strikes, destroys," Avestan vadaya- "to repulse"). Fig. sense is from 1900.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/osmosis

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