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kernel - 7 dictionary results

ker⋅nel

  [kur-nl] noun, verb, -neled, -nel⋅ing or (especially British) -nelled, -nel⋅ling.
Use kernel in a Sentence
–noun
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.
–verb (used with object)
8. to enclose as a kernel.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME kirnel, OE cyrnel, dim. of corn seed, corn 1

Related forms:
ker⋅nel⋅less, adjective
ker⋅nel⋅ly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ker·nel   (kûr'nəl)   
n.  
  1. A grain or seed, as of a cereal grass, enclosed in a husk.
  2. The inner, usually edible seed of a nut or fruit stone.
  3. The most material and central part; the core: "that hard kernel of gaiety that never breaks" (Evelyn Waugh).

[Middle English, from Old English cyrnel; see gə-no- in Indo-European roots.]
ker'neled adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Kernel

Ker"nel\, n. [OE. kernel, kirnel, curnel, AS. cyrnel, fr. corn grain. See Corn, and cf. Kern to harden.]

1. The essential part of a seed; all that is within the seed walls; the edible substance contained in the shell of a nut; hence, anything included in a shell, husk, or integument; as, the kernel of a nut. See Illust. of Endocarp.

' A were as good crack a fusty nut with no kernel --Shak.

2. A single seed or grain; as, a kernel of corn.

3. A small mass around which other matter is concreted; a nucleus; a concretion or hard lump in the flesh.

4. The central, substantial or essential part of anything; the gist; the core; as, the kernel of an argument.

Kernel

Ker"nel\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Kerneledor Kernelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Kerneling or Kernelling.] To harden or ripen into kernels; to produce kernels.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : kernel
Spanish: semilla, pepita, hueso,
German: der Kern,
Japanese: 仁
More Translations »

kernel 
O.E. cyrnel, from P.Gmc. *kurnilo- (cf. M.H.G. kornel, M.Du. cornel), from the root of corn "seed, grain" (see corn) + -el, dim. suffix. Fig. sense of "core or central part of anything" is from 1556.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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kernel   (kûr'nəl)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. A grain or seed, as of a cereal grass, enclosed in a husk.
  2. The inner, usually edible seed of a nut or fruit stone.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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kernel
(Note: NOT "kernal").
1. The essential part of Unix or other operating systems, responsible for resource allocation, low-level hardware interfaces, security etc. See also microkernel.
2. An essential subset of a programming language, in terms of which other constructs are (or could be) defined. Also known as a core language.
(1996-06-07)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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