1
: the inner softer part of a seed, fruit stone, or nut
… as brown in hue as hazelnuts, and sweeter than the kernels.—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare2
: a whole seed of a cereal
a kernel of corn
3
: a central or essential part : germ
like many stereotypes … this one too contains some kernels of truth—S. M. Lyman
S. M. Lyman4
chiefly dialectal
: a fruit seed
5
mathematics
: a subset of the elements of one set (such as a group) that a function (such as a homomorphism) maps onto an identity element of another set
Synonyms
Examples of kernel in a Sentence
There's not a kernel of truth in what they say.
the kernel of your argument seems to be the inevitability of human migration into space
Recent Examples on the Web
Finally, give the ear a gentle squeeze to feel the kernels through the husk; avoid ears that have missing kernels or soft spots.
—Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 13 June 2024
The Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat trailed just behind at 23 and 22 points, respectively, for their kernels.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 13 June 2024
Some of the most effective exploitation techniques allow for arbitrary code execution in the kernel and can be fashioned to drop a universal root shell.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 31 May 2024
Finally, there are some additional kernels of information to watch: Democratic Senate candidates are performing better than Biden and receiving higher support from Democratic voters themselves.
—Christian Paz, Vox, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for kernel 
Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 13 June 2024
The Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat trailed just behind at 23 and 22 points, respectively, for their kernels.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 13 June 2024
Some of the most effective exploitation techniques allow for arbitrary code execution in the kernel and can be fashioned to drop a universal root shell.
—Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 31 May 2024
Finally, there are some additional kernels of information to watch: Democratic Senate candidates are performing better than Biden and receiving higher support from Democratic voters themselves.
—Christian Paz, Vox, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for kernel
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kernel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Kernel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kernel. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kernel
noun
ker·nel
ˈkərn-ᵊl 
1
a
: the inner softer part of a seed, fruit stone, or nut
b
: a whole grain or seed of a cereal (as wheat or corn)
2
: a central or basic part
a kernel of truth in what they say
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