osmosis

/ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs/

//ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"osmosis" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“osmosis” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,609. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,609
frequency rank, English
15,494
“O” headwords
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The net movement of solvent molecules, usually water, from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration through a partially permeable membrane.

Key facts for osmosis
PropertyValue
Headwordosmosis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#37,609
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “osmosis” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). osmosis lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around osmosis (IPA /ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #37,609 among 15,494 “O” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for osmosis, with forms such as "omsosis", "osmmosis", and "osmoiss". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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 (ō… The correct English form is osmosis, spelled O-S-M-O-S-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The net movement of solvent molecules, usually water, from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration through a partially permeable membrane.
  2. 2
    Passive absorption or impartation of information, habits, etc.; the process of teaching or learning particular knowledge incidentally rather than consciously.

Etymology

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).

This word in other languages

ósmosis(Español)osmose(Français)Osmose(Deutsch)osmose(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: omsosis,osmmosis,osmoiss,osmosiss,osmossi,osmossis,osmsois,osomsis,ossmosis,somosis

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of osmosis - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

omsosis2osmmosis1osmoiss2osmosiss1osmossi2osmossis1osmsois2osomsis2
Edit distance from "osmosis"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "osmosis"?
"osmosis" is spelled O-S-M-O-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs/.
What does "osmosis" mean?
As a noun, "osmosis" means: The net movement of solvent molecules, usually water, from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration through a partially permeable membrane.
What are common misspellings of "osmosis"?
Common misspellings include "omsosis", "osmmosis", "osmoiss", "osmosiss", "osmossi". The correct spelling is "osmosis".
How do you pronounce "osmosis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "osmosis" is /ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "osmosis"?
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”), fr... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “osmosis”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-S-M-O-S-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɒzˈməʊ̯sɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list