journal

noun

jour·nal | \ˈjər-nᵊl

Definition of journal

1a : a daily newspaper —usually used in titles The Wall Street Journal

b : a periodical dealing especially with matters of current interest an academic journal —often used in titles The Journal of the American Medical Association

2a : a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use : diary

b : a record of current transactions especially : a book of original entry in double-entry bookkeeping

c : an account of day-to-day events

d : a record of transactions kept by a deliberative or legislative body

e : log sense 3

f : log sense 4

3 : the part of a rotating shaft, axle, roll, or spindle that turns in a bearing

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Examples of journal in a Sentence

I've been keeping a journal for several years. She records her dreams in a journal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Researchers used computer simulations to model the Northern Hemisphere’s atmosphere and noctilucent clouds from 1871 to 2008, according to the study, which was published last week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. — Katie Camero, BostonGlobe.com, "Once-rare cloud is now more common, and new study says climate change is to blame," 13 July 2018 Last week, the mayor came across a new study published in the journal Neuroradiology that suggests wearing neckties may lower blood flow to the brain, potentially curbing creativity and analytical thinking. — Laura Newberry, latimes.com, "Citing health study, Lancaster mayor wants to ban workplace necktie requirements for city employees," 12 July 2018 Similar trends are emerging in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, which were also hit by acid rain, according to a recent report in the Global Change Biology journal. — Lisa Rathke, The Christian Science Monitor, "Pollution regulations decrease acid rain, spur red spruce rebound," 11 July 2018 Their findings were published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. — Brett Molina, USA TODAY, "Fossil of first giant dinosaur, dubbed Ingentia prima, found in Argentina," 11 July 2018 The research findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports last month. — Chris Ciaccia, Fox News, "'Haunting' faces of 'ghosts' reappear in world's oldest photos," 10 July 2018 One study, published in the U.S. journal Environmental Health Perspectives, showed that even small amounts of the chemicals made the algae in coral susceptible to viral infection. — Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, "Hawaii to ban sunscreen that damages coral," 7 July 2018 In a case study published earlier this month in the journal JAMA Dermatology, doctors examine the story of a 20-year-old woman who lost all her toenails following a fish pedicure. — Macaela Mackenzie, Allure, "This Woman's Toenails Fell Off After Getting a "Fish Pedicure"," 6 July 2018 Details of the discovery will be published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. — Richard Tribou, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Image captures moment planet is born, scientists say," 2 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'journal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near journal

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Last Updated

19 Oct 2018

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The first known use of journal was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for journal

journal

noun

Financial Definition of journal

What It Is

In the finance world, journal is short for journal entry. It is also short for The Wall Street Journal.

How It Works

Journal entries are records of individual financial transactions in a company's accounting system. Due to the standards of double-entry bookkeeping, journal entries typically involve a debit to one or more accounts and a credit to one or more accounts in the same amount. For example, the journal entry for the purchase of a $20,000 fleet vehicle might reflect a $20,000 increase in assets and a corresponding $20,000 decrease in cash.

Why It Matters

Journal entries are the heart and soul of accounting. Accountants must know how to make them correctly so that a company's financial transactions are recorded accurately and in turn convey correct information to shareholders, analysts and other stakeholders. When the books don't balance or there is an error in the numbers, accountants often go back to the journal entries to find out what went wrong. In this way, journal entries are a sort of diary for companies.

Source: Investing Answers

journal

noun