osmosis
n. uncountablen. the process where water moves through a thin wall from an area with less salt to an area with more salt. It is how cells get the water they need to survive.
n. the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a selectively permeable membrane into a region of higher solute concentration. This process is fundamental to cellular homeostasis and the transport of water in biological systems.
Osmosis helps plants absorb water from the soil.
During the biology lab, students observed how osmosis causes potato slices to swell when placed in distilled water.
The kidneys rely on the principle of osmosis to regulate the body's fluid balance, ensuring that excess water is excreted while essential electrolytes remain within the bloodstream.
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).