English Reference

Word

journal

Phoneticsjour·nal

US/ˈdʒɝnəɫ/

UK/dʒˈɜːnəl/

Definitions

01academic/professional magazine

B1

n. a serious magazine or newspaper that focuses on a specific subject, like science or medicine.

n. a periodical publication containing articles and reports on a particular subject or professional field.

“The professor published her latest research in a famous medical journal.”

“The university library provides digital access to thousands of peer-reviewed journals across various scientific disciplines.”

Academic

Usage

Often used with 'academic', 'medical', or 'scientific'.

02personal diary

B1

n. a book where you write down your daily thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

n. a daily record of news and events of a personal nature; a diary.

“She kept a travel journal during her three-month trip across Europe.”

“Writing in a personal journal can be a therapeutic way to process complex emotions and track personal growth over time.”

Synonyms

03accounting record

C1 · Law

n. a book or file used to record business transactions in the order they happen.

n. a book of original entry in which business transactions are recorded chronologically.

“The accountant entered the sales tax into the general journal.”

“The auditor requested the sales journal to verify that all receipts had been documented according to standard accounting practices.”

Technical · Formal

Synonyms

ledgerdaybook

04computing log

C1 · Computing

n. a record of changes made to a computer system or database.

n. a chronological record of operations or changes made to a system, used for recovery or auditing.

“The system administrator checked the journal to see why the database crashed.”

“The file system uses a journal to track changes before they are committed, ensuring data integrity in the event of a power failure.”

Technical

Synonyms

05to write in a diary

B2

v. to write down your thoughts or experiences in a book on a regular basis.

v. to keep a personal record of occurrences, experiences, or reflections.

“He started journaling every morning to help manage his stress.”

“Many wellness experts suggest journaling as a daily habit to improve mental clarity and focus.”

Informal

Synonyms

Etymology

From Middle English journal, from Anglo-Norman jurnal (“daily”), from Old French jornel (“day”) (whence modern French journal), from Latin diurnālis, from diurnus (“of the day”). Doublet of diurnal and the journal from French.

From French journal. Doublet of diurnal and the journal from Middle English.

Unknown, apparently of Scots origin. Perhaps from chirnel, from English kernel (“lump in the flesh”), owing to resemblance in shape.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Collocations

journals booksinternational journaljournal articles

Word family

Domains

AccountingComputing

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/journal

English Reference