microkernel

English

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.?
Ancient Greek μῑκρός (mīkrós)
Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-)lbor.
English micro-
Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂-
Proto-Indo-European *-nós
Proto-Indo-European *ǵr̥h₂nósnom.
Proto-Indo-European *ǵr̥h₂nóm
Proto-Germanic *kurną
Proto-West Germanic *korn
Proto-Indo-European *-lósder.
Proto-Germanic *-ilaz
Proto-West Germanic *-il
Proto-West Germanic *kurnil
Old English cyrnel
Middle English kirnel
English kernel
English microkernel

    From micro- + kernel.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

    microkernel (plural microkernels)

    1. (operating systems) A minimal operating system kernel offering basic mechanisms rather than abstract services.
      Coordinate term: unikernel
      • 2008, Trent Jaeger, Operating System Security, Morgan & Claypool Publishers, →ISBN, page 95:
        In the 1980s, microkernel systems emerged. Microkernel systems were similar to security kernels in that they aimed for minimal functionality in the kernel, but microkernel systems focused on providing system abstractions for building complete systems more easily and more efficiently, rather than more securely.

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