diary
Americannoun
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a daily record, usually private, especially of the writer's own experiences, observations, feelings, attitudes, etc.
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a book for keeping such a record.
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a book or pad containing pages marked and arranged in calendar order, in which to note appointments and the like.
noun
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a personal record of daily events, appointments, observations, etc
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a book for keeping such a record
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of diary
1575–85; < Latin diārium daily allowance, journal, equivalent to di ( ēs ) day + -ārium -ary
Explanation
Dear diary, you are a written record of things that happen each day. Some people keep a diary while they’re traveling, others keep their secrets in a diary. Either way, keep out! Some diaries have a pretty cover and a tiny lock with a key, for keeping the contents safe from prying eyes. You can also call such a book a "journal," although traditionally a diary is written in each day, while a journal might have less frequent entries. The word diary comes from the Latin word diarium, "daily allowance," with its root of dies, or "day."
Vocabulary lists containing diary
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Lesson 2–3
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Excerpt from "Kira-Kira"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fast, crisp and snide, “The Diary of a Chambermaid” gives equal weight to the monotony and the absurdity of Gianina’s grind.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
As a result of technical problems, there were errors in the April 13 print edition’s Trading Diary in the Data section in the back of the magazine.
From Barron's • Apr. 18, 2026
The financial venture is personal for Donaldson, who told “The Diary of a CEO” podcast last year that his family struggled with money and filed for bankruptcy protection during the 2008 housing crisis.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026
He mentions Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl” in passing but then movingly highlights E.B.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
Dear Diary, Our class is reading the part in The Catcher in the Rye where Hodlen Caulfield talks about his friend’s suicide.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
