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journal

Etymology and origin of the French word journal

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
1119, Philippe de Thaon, Comput
Inherited from
Latin diurnalis via Old French
Ultimate origin
Latin (diēs)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʒuʁ.nal/[1]

Forms

journal m (plural journaux)[1] Old French jornal, jornel; the popular form in -el survives in journellement.[2][3] In the old sense of a measure of land the plural is journals.[4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French jornal, inherited from Late Latin diurnālis (“of the day”), from diurnus (“of the day”), from diēs (“day”).[1][5][6] The TLFi and Bloch–Wartburg treat it as a derivative of “jorn”, the old form of jour, with the suffix “-al”, Rey thinks the Latin origin more probable, since “diurnalis” and “jornalis” are found from 704 for a measure of land.[4][3][2] Old and Middle French hesitated between the learned ending “-al” and the popular “-el”, and “-al” won.[4]

Bloch and Wartburg suggest that the sense “periodical” may be due to Italian giornale;[3] the Latin “acta diurna”, the daily public record of Rome, is a parallel.[4][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first an adjective: esteiles jurnals, “morning stars”, in Philippe de Thaon's Comput (1119).[4] As a noun it meant the break of day in the early 12th century, and about 1150 a measure of land, the area that could be ploughed in a day.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

In Old French the noun also meant a day, a day's battle or journey, and a day's work; the measure of land is still alive in some regions.[4][2] From 1319 it was a register of acts kept in the Chambre des Comptes, and, from 1371 a book of daily prayers; from these came the sense of a day-by-day account.[4][2] Livre journal (1543) and papier journal (1553), a book of accounts, keep the old adjective.[4]

In the 17th century journal became the name of periodicals: first learned ones, such as the Journal des savants (1665), while news-sheets were called gazettes.[2][4] The modern sense of a newspaper dates from the Journal de Paris of 1777, the first French daily, and the word gradually drove out gazette.[2][3] Journal intime is recorded in 1780 (Restif de La Bretonne);[8] later the word was applied to news bulletins on radio (journal parlé, 1880) and television (journal télévisé).[2] In Belgium a journal de classe is a pupil's homework book.[2] English journal, mid-14th century, came from Anglo-French jurnal.[9]

Timeline

  • 1119 – Esteiles jurnals “morning stars”, Philippe de Thaon.[4]
  • Early 12th century – Break of day, in the Voyage of Saint Brendan.[4]
  • c. 1150 – A measure of land, in the Charroi de Nîmes.[4]
  • 1319 – A register of acts of the Chambre des Comptes.[4]
  • 1371 – A book of daily prayers.[4]
  • 1543 – Livre journal, an account book.[4]
  • 1665 – The Journal des savants.[4][2]
  • 1777 – The Journal de Paris, the first French daily.[2][4]
  • 1780 – Journal intime.[8]
  • 1880 – Journal parlé.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A diary: a day-by-day written account of events: tenir un journal, journal intime, journal de bord.[6][10]
  2. A newspaper, especially a daily one; also a periodical publication.[1][6]
  3. A news bulletin on radio or television: le journal de 20 heures.[2][1]
  4. (commerce) An account book, livre journal.[6][10]
  5. (computing) A log.[1]
  6. (dated, regional) A measure of land, as much as could be ploughed in a day.[4][2]

Word family

  • journalier
  • journalisme
  • journaliste
  • journellement

Usage notes

As an adjective “daily” it is obsolete except in livre journal and papier journal.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Journal.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/journal. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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