kernel

Meaning

1. The core, center, or essence of an object or system.
2. The central (usually edible) part of a nut, especially once the hard shell has been removed.
3. A single seed or grain, especially of corn or wheat.
4. The stone of certain fruits, such as peaches or plums.
5. A small mass around which other matter is concreted; a nucleus; a concretion or hard lump in the flesh.
6. The central part of many computer operating systems which manages the system's resources and the communication between hardware and software components.
7. The core engine of any complex software system.
8. The simplified input to an algorithm that has undergone kernelization.
9. A function used to define an integral transform.
10. A set of pairs of a mapping's domain which are mapped to the same value.
11. For a given function (especially a linear transformation between vector spaces or homomorphism between groups), the set of elements in the domain which are mapped to zero; (formally) given f : X → Y, the set {x ∈ X : f(x) = 0}.
12. For a category with zero morphisms: the equalizer of a given morphism and the zero morphism which is parallel to that given morphism.
13. The set of members of a fuzzy set that are fully included (i.e., whose grade of membership is 1).
14. (slang) The human clitoris.
15. The nucleus and electrons of an atom excluding its valence electrons.

core

grain

null space

life blood

inner part

true meaning

resident control program

nucleator

heart of wood

inner core

cereal crop

cereal seed

main idea

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkɜːnəl/

From Middle English kernel, kirnel, kürnel, from Old English cyrnel, from Proto-West Germanic *kurnil, diminutive of Proto-Germanic *kurną (“seed, grain, corn”), equivalent to corn + -le. Cognate with Yiddish קערנדל (kerndl), Middle Dutch kernel, cornel, Middle High German kornel. Related also to Old Norse kjarni (“kernel”).

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