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
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
The Linux kernel vulnerability prompted America’s cyber defense agency to mandate all federal employees to update their phones by March 25 or stop using them.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Linux Kernel Update Goes Live The code has been implemented as part of the Linux kernel release version 6.13 in January.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2025
Argan oil comes from the fruit kernels, or seeds, of the argan tree (Argania spinosa).1
There are two main types of argan oil: food-grade and cosmetic-grade.
—Carley Millhone, Health, 12 Mar. 2025
Bulk up the veggies: corn kernels, diced zucchinis, broccoli florets, and even spinach can be folded in for extra nutrition.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kernel
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Zak Doffman, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Linux Kernel Update Goes Live The code has been implemented as part of the Linux kernel release version 6.13 in January.
—IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2025
Argan oil comes from the fruit kernels, or seeds, of the argan tree (Argania spinosa).1
There are two main types of argan oil: food-grade and cosmetic-grade.
—Carley Millhone, Health, 12 Mar. 2025
Bulk up the veggies: corn kernels, diced zucchinis, broccoli florets, and even spinach can be folded in for extra nutrition.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kernel
Cite this Entry
“Kernel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kernel. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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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