What is the Latin word for journey?

The usual Latin words for “journey” are profectiō, peregrīnātiō, comparō; also praeparō, proficīscor, via. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“journey” in Latin

profectiōdeparture; journey peregrīnātiōtravel, travel abroad, journey, stay in a foreign place; sojourn; pilgrimage comparōto prepare, get ready, provide, furnish; to compare, match, place together, couple, form into pairs praeparōto get ready, prepare proficīscorto set out, depart, leave viaroad, street, path; highway; way, method, manner, mode

The English word journey itself goes back to Latin diēs, through *diurnāta.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

journey

iter. Sometimes via (the way or road): profectio (the setting out on a journey): peregrinatio (the journey to or residence in a foreign country). To make preparations for a journey, iter parare or comparare; profectionem parare or praeparare; parare proficisci; itineri se praeparare: anybody has a long journey before him, instat alicui iter longum (Cic.): to set out on a journey, iter facere coepisse (Cic.); proficisci; viae or in viam se dare; viae se committere; iter ingredi or inire: to be on a journey, esse in itinere; in a foreign land, peregrinari, peregrinatum abesse: to take small journeys, minuta itinera facere (Suet., Oct., 82): to undertake long journeys, *longinqua itinera suscipere: to undertake journeys into a foreign land, peregrinationes suscipere: to continue one’s journey, iter pergere; iter reliquum conficere pergere: to finish one’s journey, iter conficere: to suspend one’s journey, profectionem intermittere: to give up a (proposed) journey, itineris consilium, or (with reference to the setting out) profectionis consilium abjicere: had you a good journey? bene ambulasti? (Plaut., Truc., 2, 4, 18). A good journey! bene ambula! bene rem gere! (together in Plaut., Mil., 3, 3, 62.)

journey v.

[Vid: To TRAVEL, and “to take a JOURNEY. “] [Vid: To TRAVEL, and “to take a JOURNEY. “] I am journeying to Rome, iter est Romam: where are you journeying to? quo cogitas? quo tendis? quo iter inceptas? (Plaut., Curc., 1, 2, 28).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for journey?: The usual Latin words for “journey” are profectiō, peregrīnātiō, comparō; also praeparō, proficīscor, via. 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.