[kur-nl] 
noun, verb, -neled, -nel⋅ing or (especially British
) -nelled, -nel⋅ling.| 1. | the softer, usually edible part contained in the shell of a nut or the stone of a fruit. |
| 2. | the body of a seed within its husk or integuments. |
| 3. | a whole seed grain, as of wheat or corn. |
| 4. | South Atlantic States. the pit or seed of a peach, cherry, plum, etc. |
| 5. | the central or most important part of anything; essence; gist; core: His leadership is the kernel of the organization. |
| 6. | Mathematics. the set of elements that a given function from one set to a second set maps into the identity of the second set. |
| 7. | Also called rumpf. Physical Chemistry. the remainder of an atom after the valence electrons have been removed. |
| 8. | to enclose as a kernel. |
| ker·nel (kûr'nəl) n.
[Middle English, from Old English cyrnel; see g  ə-no- in Indo-European roots.]ker'neled adj. |
