osmosis

IPA/ɒzˈməʊsɪs/
KK[ˌɔzmˈosɪs]IPA/ɑːzˈməʊsɪs/

osmosis — noun

1. the movement of water or another liquid through a thin wall of a cell, plant, or

1.nounC1
Definition

the movement of water or another liquid through a thin wall of a cell, plant, or other living tissue, from a weaker solution to a stronger one until both sides have the same strength.

Example

Élise watched the experiment as water entered the cell by osmosis.

by osmosis (typical adverbial pattern)

Plant roots take up water from the wet soil through osmosis.

through osmosis + biological subject (plant)

Common collocations
  • by osmosis
  • through osmosis
  • reverse osmosis
  • process of osmosis
Synonyms
  • diffusion

    broader term for any spreading of particles; osmosis is specifically diffusion of a liquid through a membrane.

Grammar Patterns

by osmosis

through osmosis

Usage Note

Almost always uncountable; treated as a process, not a countable event. Common verbs: 'occur by osmosis', 'take place through osmosis', 'water moves by osmosis'.

Common Mistakes

Plants drink water by an osmosis.
Plants drink water by osmosis.
'osmosis' is uncountable and takes no article in this pattern.

2. the way someone slowly takes in knowledge, ideas, or habits without trying — for

2.nounC1
Definition

the way someone slowly takes in knowledge, ideas, or habits without trying — for example, picking up a language just by living among speakers, or learning office customs by sitting near experienced colleagues.

Example

Karim picked up Italian by osmosis during his three years in Naples.

pick up [language] by osmosis — core figurative pattern

New interns at the law firm seem to learn court customs by osmosis from senior colleagues.

learn [skill/knowledge] by osmosis

Common collocations
  • learn by osmosis
  • absorb by osmosis
  • pick up by osmosis
  • almost by osmosis
Synonyms
  • absorption

    more neutral; lacks the 'effortless, unconscious' connotation of osmosis.

  • assimilation

    formal; emphasises the result of being taken in, rather than the gradual process.

Antonyms
  • study

    denotes deliberate effort, the opposite of osmosis.

Grammar Patterns

learn by osmosis

absorb by osmosis

pick up by osmosis

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is figurative and refers to people absorbing knowledge or habits, not liquids. Almost always with 'by' or 'through'; never used with an article.

Common Mistakes

She studied French by osmosis from textbooks.
She studied French from textbooks.
'by osmosis' implies passive, unconscious learning, not deliberate study from books.

Word family

  • osmotic
    adjectiveC2
  • osmotically
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All three describe taking something in, but the manner differs sharply. 'Osmosis' is the most informal and metaphorical: it pictures knowledge or habits seeping into a person passively, without conscious effort, often through sheer proximity ('Karim picked up Italian by osmosis'). 'Absorption' is more neutral and slightly more active — you can absorb information you are actually trying to learn, as in 'her absorption of the new rules was impressive'. 'Assimilation' is the most formal and result-focused, often used in academic or sociological contexts to mean fully taking something in and making it part of oneself ('the assimilation of immigrant communities into local life'). Use 'osmosis' when the learning was effortless and unintended; 'absorption' for ordinary taking-in; 'assimilation' when something is fully integrated.

osmosis ↗absorption ↗assimilation ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • by osmosis
  • through osmosis
  • reverse osmosis
  • the process of osmosis

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

From Greek 'ōsmos' meaning 'a push' or 'thrust', referring to the way one liquid pushes through a barrier toward another. The scientific term entered English in the mid-19th century via French and modern Latin, after researchers observed liquids passing through animal membranes. The figurative 'learning by osmosis' sense developed in the 20th century, picturing knowledge as a fluid that seeps gradually into a person.