kernel

Definitions

• The core, center, or essence of an object or system.
• (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) 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.
• (computing) The core engine of any complex software system.
• (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) 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}.
• (mathematics) For a category with zero morphisms: the equalizer of a given morphism and the zero morphism which is parallel to that given morphism.
• (mathematics) 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.