The word diary ultimately comes from the idea of “daily.”
Etymology
- Latin: diarium — meaning “daily allowance” or “daily record.”
- From dies = day
- Medieval Latin: diarium evolved to mean a daily journal or record of events.
- English (16th–17th century): diary — a book for recording events day by day.
Root breakdown
- dies (Latin) → day
- diarium → daily account / daily record
- diary → a record of one’s life written day by day
Interesting note
Originally, diarium referred to something like a daily ration or allowance, especially for soldiers. Over time the meaning shifted to a daily log of activities.
Related words
- Daily — occurring every day
- Journal — from French jour (day)
- Diurnal — relating to the daytime or a 24-hour cycle
So a diary is literally:
A record of the days of your life.
Which is actually pretty fitting for what you’re doing with your street photography diaries — documenting the daily unfolding of light, people, and the city.