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'Kernel' is the inner part of a seed or the central part of something; 'colonel' is a senior military officer rank.
Side-by-side comparison
"Kernel" is the core or inner part of something: the edible seed of a nut or grain, the essence of an argument, or in computing the core of an operating system.
Each kernel of corn on the cob is technically a separate fruit and seed.
The kernel of her argument was that cost savings should never come at the expense of quality.
The Linux kernel is the core component shared by all Linux-based operating systems.
"Colonel" is a high-ranking military officer above a lieutenant colonel. Despite the very different spelling, it is pronounced exactly the same as "kernel".
The colonel addressed the troops before they deployed to the training exercise.
Colonel Mustard is one of the classic suspects in the board game Cluedo.
She was promoted to colonel after twenty years of distinguished military service.
Common mistake
- •"The colonel of the argument" when meaning the core is wrong: the core or center is "kernel".
- •"Colonel" (pronounced exactly like "kernel") is the military rank.
Trick to remember it
- •"Kernel" sounds like it looks: KERN-el.
- •The core of corn, the core of a computer system.
- •"Colonel" has COL at the start: the COLonel commands a COLumn of soldiers.
Quick rule
- •Is it the grain, core, or computing kernel? "Kernel".
- •Is it the military rank (pronounced "kernel")? "Colonel".
Did you know?
"Colonel" is probably the word with the biggest gap between spelling and pronunciation in English. It entered the language in the 16th century in two forms: "coronel" (the older form, with an R) and "colonel" (the form with an L). Both coexisted for about a century. The L spelling won out in writing, but the pronunciation kept the older R sound, which is why we say "KER-nel".
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She added a pinch of salt and a _____ of corn to the salad.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The _____ gave orders to his soldiers before they entered the town.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy