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
Wheat can be treated to remove scabby kernels.
—Tom W. Allen, The Conversation, 12 Nov. 2025
Its particles contain a uranium kernel wrapped in three layers of carbon and ceramic materials.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
Local artist Talita Swarts is a walking encyclopedia of the African diaspora; guests can take a VIP tour with her through everything from the building’s architecture—the shape of the main atrium was built to mimic a single corn kernel—to individual exhibition pieces.
—Emily Baldwin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
In short, at the heart within the kernel of concern for memory is a concern for death.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kernel
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Tom W. Allen, The Conversation, 12 Nov. 2025
Its particles contain a uranium kernel wrapped in three layers of carbon and ceramic materials.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
Local artist Talita Swarts is a walking encyclopedia of the African diaspora; guests can take a VIP tour with her through everything from the building’s architecture—the shape of the main atrium was built to mimic a single corn kernel—to individual exhibition pieces.
—Emily Baldwin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
In short, at the heart within the kernel of concern for memory is a concern for death.
—Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 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 17 Nov. 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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