Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “journal” come from?

journal (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman jurnal, from Dutch journaal, from French journal, from Old French journal, from Latin diurnālis, from Latin diurnus, from Latin diēs, from Proto-Italic djēm — to be bright; sky, heaven.

Ancestry of “journal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanjurnaldaily
2Dutchjournaala TV or radio news program; a logbook of a ship;...
3FrenchjournalThat is relative to each day; journal; diary,...
4Old Frenchjournaldaily
5Latindiurnālis—
6Latindiurnusof the day; daily; day
7Latindiēs—
8Proto-Italicdjēmaccusative singular of *djous
9Proto-Italic*djous—
10Proto-Indo-Europeandyḗwssky, heaven; sky god
11Proto-Indo-Europeandyéws—
12Proto-Indo-Europeandyew-to be bright; sky, heaven
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dyew- →