Journal
/ˈdʒɜːr.nəl/noun
A daily record of events, thoughts, or transactions; also a periodical publication.
Did you know?Journal comes through Old French from Late Latin diurnalis, meaning “of the day,” so the modern “journal” began as a word for daily life before becoming a vessel for memory and power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dyew-
“to shine; sky, day”
Latin
Latin
diurnus
“of the day, daily”
Late Latin
Latin
diurnalis
“daily, pertaining to a day”
Old French
Old French
journal
“daily, a day’s work or travel; a daily record”
Middle English
English
jurnal
“a daily record; a day-book”
Modern English
English
journal
“a daily record, diary, or periodical publication”