Exosmoses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The movement of a liquid or gas outward through a semipermeable membrane toward a region of lower concentration ; the repeated instances of such outward flow across a barrier
2. Outward diffusion of solvent through a membrane from a more dilute solution ; the successive occurrences of this outward transfer over time
3. Passage of fluid out through a porous or selectively permeable barrier ; the recurring events in which this outward osmotic flow takes place

Etymology: "Exosmoses" is simply the plural of "exosmosis," so it refers to more than one instance of the process. The process itself is a scientific term built from two Greek-derived pieces. "Exo-" comes from the Greek "éxō," meaning "outside," and "osmosis" comes from the Greek "ōsmos," meaning "push" or "impulse," describing the movement of fluid through a membrane. "Exosmosis" is the outward counterpart to "endosmosis," which is the inward flow of fluid. The prefix "exo-" marks movement out of a membrane or cell, while "endo-" marks movement in. Together, the pair describes the two directions in which the same osmotic process can run across a barrier.