journal
JUR-nuhl · noun
Origin
Journal comes from Middle English journal, from Anglo-Norman jurnal ("daily"), from Old French jornel ("day"), from Latin diurnālis, tied to diurnus ("of the day"). It's a doublet of diurnal — both descend from the same Latin root, one through Old French, one straight from Latin.
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Journey
The word started as an adjective meaning simply "daily," describing something that happens or recurs each day. Over time it settled into English as a noun for the daily record itself — the thing you keep, not just the frequency it keeps.
Related words
It's a doublet of diurnal, meaning both words trace back to the same Latin ancestor, diurnus, but arrived in English by different routes.