Kernel

Kernel

Noun · /ˈkɜː.nəl/

Definition

The softer, usually edible, part of a nut or seed inside its shell; the central or most important part of something; in computing, the core component of an operating system that manages resources and hardware communication.

Origin

From Old English cyrnel (a small seed, a grain), a diminutive of corn (grain, seed). The same root as corn. Used in English from the Old English period.