journal

American  

[jur-nl] / ˈdʒɜr nl /

noun

1. a daily record, as of occurrences, experiences, or observations.

   She kept a journal during her European trip.

2. a newspaper, especially a daily one.

3. a periodical or magazine, especially one published for a special group, learned society, or profession.

   the October issue of The English Journal.

4. a record, usually daily, of the proceedings and transactions of a legislative body, an organization, etc.

5. Bookkeeping.

   1. a daybook.

   2. (in the double-entry method) a book into which all transactions are entered from the daybook or blotter to facilitate posting into the ledger.

6. Nautical. a log or logbook.

7. Machinery. the portion of a shaft or axle contained by a plain bearing.

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verb (used without object)

1. to write self-examining or reflective journal entries, especially in school or as part of psychotherapy.

   Students should journal as part of a portfolio assessment program.

journal British  

/ ˈdʒɜːnəl /

noun

1. a newspaper or periodical

2. a book in which a daily record of happenings, etc, is kept

3. an official record of the proceedings of a legislative body

4. accounting

   1. Also called: Book of Original Entry.  one of several books in which transactions are initially recorded to facilitate subsequent entry in the ledger

   2. another name for daybook

5. the part of a shaft or axle in contact with or enclosed by a bearing

6. a plain cylindrical bearing to support a shaft or axle

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Other Word Forms

• journalary adjective
• journalish adjective

Etymology

Origin of journal

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French journal “daily,” from Late Latin diurnālis; diurnal

Example Sentences

Preparing for Artemis II, Glover has been working through original Gemini and Apollo journal papers from the 1960s, hunting for engineering and piloting lessons that might still apply.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

In an article in the journal Cell Stem Cell, one of the leading voices in stem cell research, George Daley, gave a damning verdict on the work attempting to prove the existence of VSELs.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

The research, published in Optica, Optica Publishing Group's journal for high-impact research, shows that this new technique can increase how much information is stored while also making it easier to retrieve.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

She is the executive editor of the American Mathematical Society’s Notices journal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

And then she held the journal out to me.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Related Words

• account
• almanac
• annals
• calendar
• daily
• diary
• gazette
• magazine
• memoir
• monthly
• newspaper
• note
• paper
• periodical
• publication
• review
• tabloid
• weekly