Adjacent Words

Kernel definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

KERN'EL, n.
1. The edible substance contained in the shell of a nut.
2. Any thing included in a shell, husk or integument; a grain or corn; as a kernel of wheat or oats.
3. The seed of pulpy fruit; as the kernel of an apple.
4. The central part of any thing; a small mass around which other matter is concreted; a nucleus.
5. A hard concretion in the flesh.
KERN'EL, v.i. To harden or ripen into kernels; as the seeds of plants.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: 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" [syn: kernel, meat]
2: a single whole grain of a cereal; "a kernel of corn"
3: 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" [syn: kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty- gritty]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English cyrnel, diminutive of corn Date: before 12th century 1. chiefly dialect a fruit seed 2. the inner softer part of a seed, fruit stone, or nut 3. a whole seed of a cereal <a kernel of corn> 4. a central or essential part ; germ <like many stereotypes…this one too contains some kernels of truth — S. M. Lyman> 5. a subset of the elements of one set (as a group) that a function (as a homomorphism) maps onto an identity element of another set

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a central, softer, usu. edible part within a hard shell of a nut, fruit stone, seed, etc. 2 the whole seed of a cereal. 3 the nucleus or essential part of anything. Etymology: OE cyrnel, dimin. of CORN(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Kernel Ker"nel, n. [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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Kernel Ker"nel, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Kerneledor Kernelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Kerneling or Kernelling.] To harden or ripen into kernels; to produce kernels.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(kernels) 1. The kernel of a nut is the part that is inside the shell. N-COUNT 2. The kernel of something is the central and most important part of it. The kernel of that message was that peace must not be a source of advantage or disadvantage for anyone. = core, crux N-COUNT: usu sing, usu N of n 3. A kernel of something is a small element of it. For all I know, there may be a kernel of truth in what he says. = grain N-COUNT: usu sing, usu N of n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kur'-nel (chartsannim, English Versions of the Bible "kernels"; Septuagint reads stemphullon used by Aristophanes as olives from which oil has been pressed, later, in same, of raisin pulp): Mentioned in Nu 6:4 along with zagh, translated "husks." This translates, "kernels" or "grape stones," is from the Targum and Talmud, but is doubtful, and it may be the word should be translated "sour grapes."

Moby Thesaurus

Brazil nut, acorn, almond, almond paste, amande, amande douce, amandes mondees, axiom, axis, bench mark, berry, bird seed, bitter almond, blanched almonds, burnt almond, cardinal point, center, center of action, center of gravity, centroid, centrum, chief thing, climax, core, cornerstone, crisis, critical point, crux, dead center, diameter, diaphragm, distillate, distillation, elixir, epicenter, equator, essence, essential, essential matter, fabric, flaxseed, flower, focus, fruit, fundamental, gist, goober, goober pea, grain, gravamen, great point, ground-pea, groundnut, hayseed, heart, high point, hub, hypostasis, important thing, inner essence, interior, issue, keystone, landmark, linseed, main point, main thing, marrow, material, material point, matter, mean, meat, median, medium, medulla, metacenter, middle, midmost, midriff, midst, milestone, nave, navel, nigger toe, noisette, noix, nub, nubbin, nucleus, nut, nuts and bolts, omphalos, peanut, peanut butter, pip, pit, pith, pivot, postulate, principle, quid, quiddity, quintessence, real issue, salient point, salted peanuts, sap, seed, sine qua non, soul, spirit, stone, storm center, stuff, substance, substantive point, sum and substance, sweet almond, the bottom line, the nitty-gritty, the point, thick, thick of things, turning point, umbilicus, upshot, waist, waistline, zone