Definition of journal

The word "journal" has its roots in the French language, where it's originally called "journal" meaning "daily". The term gained popularity in the 17th century when a French publisher named Jean de la Pierre began organizing daily news into a single publication, which he called "Journal des scavans" or "News of the Learned". This publication was based on the Dutch "journalistieken" or "newspapers for scholars", which focused on reporting scientific discoveries and cultural developments. The French version gained wide acceptance in Europe, and the English adapted the term "journal" to mean a daily newspaper, which was published periodically, initially on a weekly basis. The idea of maintaining a personal journal also evolved from the concept of an individual's "diary" or "daybook", which involved documenting personal thoughts, feelings, and activities. However, as the frequency of journaling increased, the term "journal" became more popular as a descriptive term for the daily record of one's experiences since it represented a regular and repeated activity as opposed to a singular or occasional one. Today, the term "journal" has multiple meanings in English, specifically referring to a record of activities, a scientific paper, or a publication that features short news items. Nonetheless, the etymological roots of the word remain deeply rooted in the traditional meaning of a daily publication or a daily record.