diary

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdaɪ.(ə.)ɹi/^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin diārium (“a daily allowance, later a journal”),^[2][3][4] the neuter of diārius, daily,^[3][4] from diēs (“day”),^[2][3] from PIE Proto-Indo-European *dyeu- (“to shine; sky, heaven”), the root also of Greek Zeús and Latin Jūpiter.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

A daily record of events, a journal: 1581.^[2][5][6]

Semantic evolution

A book with dated pages for keeping a daily record is first recorded in Ben Jonson's Volpone (1605).^[2][5] An adjective diary, daily, lasting one day, was used from 1592 and is obsolete,^[5] as is diary fever, an ephemeral fever (1639).^[5] Diarist is from the 19th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 1581 – a journal.^[2]
• 1592 – daily (adjective, obsolete).^[5]
• 1605 – a book for daily records.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A daily personal record of events, experiences and thoughts; a journal.
2. A book for keeping such a record, or for noting appointments.

Word family

• diarist

Related words

• diurnal
• journal
• dial
• day

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster