Kernel

nouncandidate·updated May 9, 2026

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The essential center of a computer operating system, the core that provides basic services for all other parts of the operating system. A synonym is nucleus. A kernel can be contrasted with a shell, the outermost part of an operating system that interacts with user commands. Kernel and shell are terms used more frequently in Unix and some other operating systems than in IBM mainframe systems.

Classifications

per-axis with provenance

Entity Type

System90%rule-basedr:entity.system.compute.v1

?unassignedlast reviewed —

Sensitivity

unclassified

Information Class

unclassified

Variants

3 surface forms

plural: Kernels
possessive: Kernel's
pluralpossessive: Kernels'

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