English → Latin
“journal” in Latin
commentāriusmemorandum, notebook; diary, journal; a brieflibellusthe inner bark of a tree used for writing tablets; a little book, booklet, pamphlet (esp. a book written in pages rather
The English word journal itself goes back to Latin diēs, through diurnālis.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
journal
ephemeris, -idis, feminine (ἐφημερίς), or, pure Latin, commentarii diurni (a day-book in which payments, receipts, etc., were set down, and whatever happened to or was done by any of the family; but Plin., 29, 1, 5, also mentions an ephemeris mathematica, a sort of astronomical calendar, in which the lucky and unlucky days were set down): commentarii (writings hastily drawn up; e.g., memorandums of remarkable subjects, comments, remarks, etc.): libelli (general term for small works published): acta diurna, or populi Romani (the minutes or reports of what took place each day in the Senate or assembly of the people at Rome). Hence “a political journal” may be translated by ephemeris or acta diurna; an amusing or instructive one, by libelli.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for journal?
- The usual Latin words for “journal” are commentārius, libellus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.