osmosis

noun/ɑzˈmoʊsɪs/

Frequency rank: #15,887 most common English word

Meaning

the process by which something is absorbed gradually and unconsciously; also, in science, the movement of a solvent through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated to a more concentrated solution.

Illustration for the English word “osmosis”

Example sentence

Children often pick up a second language through osmosis, simply by being surrounded by native speakers.

Synonyms & related words

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