kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty
(noun) the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; “the gist of the prosecutor’s argument”; “the heart and soul of the Republican Party”; “the nub of the story”
kernel
(noun) a single whole grain of a cereal; “a kernel of corn”
kernel, meat
(noun) the inner and usually edible part of a seed or grain or nut or fruit stone; “black walnut kernels are difficult to get out of the shell”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
kernel (plural kernels)
The core, center, or essence of an object or system.
Synonyms: crux, gist
(botany) The central (usually edible) part of a nut, especially once the hard shell has been removed.
(botany) A single seed or grain, especially of corn or wheat.
(botany, US) The stone of certain fruits, such as peaches or plums.
A small mass around which other matter is concreted; a nucleus; a concretion or hard lump in the flesh.
(computing) The central part of many computer operating systems which manages the system's resources and the communication between hardware and software components.
Hyponyms: microkernel, unikernel
(computing) The core engine of any complex software system.
Antonym: userland
(calculus) A function used to define an integral transform.
(mathematics) A set of pairs of a mapping's domain which are mapped to the same value.
(mathematics, linear algebra, functional analysis) For a given function (especially a linear map between vector spaces), the set of elements in the domain which are mapped to zero; (formally) given f : X → Y, the set {x ∈ X : f(x) = 0}.
Antonym: support
Meronyms: root, zero
(mathematics, category theory) For a category with zero morphisms: the equalizer of a given morphism and the zero morphism which is parallel to that given morphism.
(mathematics, fuzzy set theory) The set of members of a fuzzy set that are fully included (i.e, whose grade of membership is 1).
(slang) The human clitoris.
(chemistry) The nucleus and electrons of an atom excluding its valence electrons.
• (core or essence): See also gist
• kleren
Source: Wiktionary
Ker"nel, n. Etym: [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.
Ker"nel, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Kerneled or Kernelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Kerneling or Kernelling.]
Definition: To harden or ripen into kernels; to produce kernels.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
24 January 2025
(noun) a state of agitation or turbulent change or development; “the political ferment produced new leadership”; “social unrest”
The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.
