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kernel definition

ker·nel (kʉr′nəl)

noun

  1. a grain or seed, as of corn, wheat, etc.
  2. the inner, softer part of a nut, fruit pit, etc.
  3. the central, most important part of something; core; essence

Etymology: ME < OE cyrnel < base of corn, seed (see corn) + -el, dim. suffix

transitive verb kerneled -·neled or kernelled -·nelled, kerneling -·neling or kernelling -·nel·ling

to enclose as a kernel

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

hacker Kernel definition - hacker

telecom kernel definition - telecom

kernel Synonyms

kernel

n.

  1. Grain

    nut, core, heart, germ, fruit, seed; see also grain 1, seed 1.

  2. Essential portion

    heart, center, root; see essence 1.

  3. A small piece

    piece, atom, morsel; see bit 1, division 2, part 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

kernel Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • recompile: In this case, you will need to recompile the kernel for DHCP support.

Adjective modifier

  • 2.2.x: Meanwhile, a nice solid 2.2.x kernel for us, yes indeed.

Modifies a noun

  • panic: And why does the kernel panic once is does see more memory?

Noun used with modifier

  • linux: His dense and friendly comments have guided many programmers on the linux kernel mailing list.
kernel usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

kernel quotes

All true histories contain instruction; though in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut.

-Bronte«  , Anne

   You define your own horror journey, according to your taste. My definition of what makes a journey wholly or partially horrible is boredom. Add discomfort, fatigue, strain in large amounts to get the purest-quality horror, but the kernel is boredom. I offer that as a universal test of travel; boredom, called byanyother name, iswhy you yearn for the first available transport out.But what bores whom?† The threshold of boredom must be like the threshold of pain, different in all of us.

-Gellhorn, Martha Ellis

The nuttis schell, thocht it be hard and teuch, Haldis the kirnell, sueit and delectabill; Sa lyis thair ane doctrine wyse aneuch And full of frute vnder ane fenyeit fabill.

-Henryson, Robert

kernel quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"kernel." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 3 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/kernel>

APA Style

kernel. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 3rd, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/kernel

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