why is a kernel called a kernel?

Question

So the title of this question pretty much sums up my question. To be clear, I understand what a kernel is and why we make them. I would like to know the origin of it's name. So far All my goggling and Wikipediaing have only turned up what a kernel is and it's various forms.

Hon

english.stackexchange.com/questions/32206/kernel-vs-core seems to have some hints. Good luck! – Triceratops

Answer 1

Etymologically speaking, it's my understanding that kernel is a modernization of cyrnel (Old English, meaning seed; it's also the word that corn "stems" from, if you'll forgive the pun).

A kernel in that context is something from which the rest grows. You could also call a kernel a "core", but botanically-speaking a "core" contains seeds (or "kernels").

As the rest of the operating systems grows from the kernel, the term makes sense to me.

Trivial

Right on, that really makes sense, I think I have a good visual way to explain a kernel to bunch of 10 year colds now, which is exactly what I am looking for, thanks man! – Hon

That makes sense now, why it's called a kernel. But now I'm wondering why there's a term called 'kernel' in linear algebra; how would this explanation fit in for that context? – Gasometry

@ExtremeRaider No idea. Perhaps the fine folks over at math.stackexchange.com would be able to answer that... :) – Trivial

Was heading there in a while, I'll be sure to ask away. Thanks anyway! – Gasometry

Answer 2

In German, there is the term "der Kern" which I would translate to "the core". So that seems to be similar to "kernel". Kern is sometimes used to describe single seeds of plants and often for basic / central / fundamental parts of a system where other things are based on it, e.g. the core of the earth. I don't know where the ending "EL" in "kernEL" comes from.

Gride

Colonel (/ˈkɜrnəl/) is what you are thinking of. – Mainsheet

The rank of "Colonel" is hardly specific to the American military, and it certainly doesn't originate there. Let's leave the Americentricism for EL&U. – Legerdemain

Answer 3

According to the OED the modern English English usage of the word kernel in every day speech is the edible part of a nut. It was first used in the 16th century to mean nucleus, core so it's application to Linux would seem to be a good description of that part of the system. I wonder who first used it in this context? Colonel was originally derived from the Italian word for a column (colonella) i.e. he's the guy who leads the column - it's pronunciation in both American and English English (and other Englishes too for that matter) is what Walker called "...among those gross irregularities which must be given up as incorrigible"

Cummine

I was just wondering whether kernel might be a pun on colonel because it coordinates all the processes and everything else… – Ardith

Answer 4

The small core of the system

While Kernel does mean 'core', it is also a reminder that the core must be kept small. The system grows from this binary.

From the Kernel Definition of the Linux Information Project:

The kernel is the first part of the operating system to load into memory during booting ...

... it is important for it to be as small as possible while still providing all the essential services needed by the other parts of the operating system and by the various application programs.

Robert Love reminds us, kernel size is still important:

... kernel memory is not pageable. Therefore, every byte of memory you consume is one less byte of available physical memory. -- Robert Love, Linux Kernel Development

Backswept

Answer 5

I'm not sure what are you asking but for me the reason is obvious. The kernel is the main component of an operating system. One of kernel definitions is "the central or most important part of anything".

Confirmand

So I will openly admit after all my googling and such, dictionary.com did not cross my mind... The reason I am asking is to define a good layman's description of the abstraction that is the kernel. I'd vote your answer up if I had the rep, thank you! :P – Hon

@David - right, but why is it called "kernel" and not anything else symbolizing a central component... such as "engine", or "core", or "brain", or "center" or something else... – Fanfaronade

Answer 6

Kernel is also referred as nucleus in Operating System by William Stallings 6th edition which means central part.

Faxan

Answer 7

To add to all the answers that has already been provided:

In Danish (which is a germanic language) "Kernen" means "The Core".

Coulometer