What does journey mean?
A journey is the act of travelling from one place to another, especially when the distance or duration makes the trip noteworthy. The word can describe a physical passage by road, rail, sea, or air, but it also has a figurative use for a person's development or series of experiences: a journey through adolescence, a journey towards recovery, or a career journey. As a verb, to journey means to travel over a long distance, often with a sense of movement, purpose, or endurance. Although journey and trip overlap in meaning, journey often carries a more substantial, extended, or eventful quality, while trip may sound casual and can refer to a short excursion. The word is common in British and American English and is suitable for both ordinary descriptions and more formal or literary contexts.
An act of travelling from one place to another, especially one involving a long distance or an extended period of time.
"Their journey through the desert began before sunrise."
The word can also refer figuratively to a person's course of development or series of experiences.
To travel from one place to another, especially over a long distance.
"The ship journeyed across the bay as the sun set."
Often literary in style; the ordinary word travel is more neutral and common.
The plural is formed by adding -s to journey.
"The archive contains photographs and journals from several journeys."
The word journey began with the idea of a day's travel, so even a modern epic journey can trace its roots to the simple measurement of time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does journey come from?
The word entered English in the late Middle English period from Old French journee, meaning a day's journey or the distance covered in one day. Old French journee developed from Latin dies, meaning a day. The sense broadened over time from a single day's travel to a longer or more eventful passage, while related words such as journal and journeyman developed from the same French and Latin associations with days and daily work.
Related word forms
How journey is actually used
As a noun, journey is neutral in register and can describe travel by any means, though it often suggests a longer or more eventful trip than a short journey. As a verb, journey is somewhat literary compared with travel, and it commonly implies movement over a considerable distance.
Easily confused with journey
A journey emphasizes the act of travelling or the route taken, whereas a tour is usually a planned visit to several places, often returning to the starting point.