A
diary (sometimes referred to as journal or notebook) is a record (originally in handwritten format) with discrete entries arranged by
date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone who keeps a diary is known as a
diarist. Diaries undertaken for institutional purposes play a role in many aspects of human civilization, including government records (e.g.,
Hansard), business
ledgers and military
records. In British English, the word may also denote
a preprinted journal format.
