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The Latin adjective diurnus means “pertaining to a day, daily”; English diurnal stems ultimately from this word. When Latin developed into French, diurnus became a noun, jour, meaning simply “day” The medieval French derivative journee meant either “day” or “something done during the day,” such as work or travel. Middle English borrowed journee as journey in both senses, but only the sense “a day’s travel” survived into modern usage. In modern English, journey now refers to a trip without regard to the amount of time it takes. The verb journey developed from the noun and is first attested in the 14th century.
Examples of journey in a Sentence
Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
From the concierge, who can organize getaways to explore the island and experiences on property to the restaurant team, who transform every meal into a gastronomic journey, the service is impeccable.
—José Cantillo Ferrer, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
The film, which is in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival, follows a Shanghai woman who journeys alone to a rubber plantation in southwest China, searching for a mysterious woman while strangers drift unexpectedly into her path.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Journey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/journey. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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journey
2 of 2 verbNoun
Middle English journey "a trip, travel," from early French journee "day's work, day's journey," from jour "day," derived from Latin diurnus "of a day, daily," from dies "day" — related to diary, journal
