Kernel
nounverified·updated May 9, 2026
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.
polysemous
Classifications
Entity Type
System90%rule-basedr:entity.system.compute.v1
?unassignedlast reviewed —
Sensitivity
unclassified
Information Class
unclassified
Variants
- synonym
- meatsubstance
- plural
- Kernels
- possessive
- Kernel's
- pluralpossessive
- Kernels'