Noun

(en noun)

The core, center, or essence of an object or system.

the kernel of an argument

The central (usually edible) part of a nut, especially once the hard shell has been removed.

A single seed or grain, especially of corn or wheat.

(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.

(calculus) A function used to define an integral transform.

The Dirichlet kernel convolved with a function yields its Fourier series approximation.

(mathematics) A set of pairs of a mapping's domain which are mapped to the same value.

(mathematics, algebra) Those elements, in the domain of a function, which the function maps to zero.

If a function is continuous then its kernel is a closed set.

(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.

* 2014 , Karyn Gerrard, Irene Preston, Lotchie Burton et al'', ''Summer Heat: 10 Spicy Romances That Sizzle

Using the blunt end of one of the vibraphone mallets, he pried open her folds. With the balled end of the other, he rhythmically rolled over her kernel .

Noun

(-)

Grain that is to be ground in a mill.

* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=(Henry Petroski)

, title= Geothermal Energy , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.}}

(obsolete) A group of bees.

(colloquial, obsolete) Supply; provision.

(Jonathan Swift)

(ropemaking) A given size of rope, common grist being a rope three inches in circumference, with twenty yarns in each of the three strands.

(Knight)