WordWeb Online

1. The inner and usually edible part of a seed, grain, nut or fruit stone
   "black walnut kernels are difficult to get out of the shell";
   - meat
    
2. A single whole grain of a cereal
   "a kernel of corn"
    
3. The choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
   "the kernel of the prosecutor's argument";
   - substance, core, center [US], centre [Brit, Cdn], essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty

Sounds like: colonel

Derived forms: kernels

Type of: caryopsis, cognitive content, content, grain, mental object, plant part, plant structure

Part of: seed

Encyclopedia: Kernel