Jour

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒɝ/

Definitions

1. A specific period of time, particularly a day in relation to the calendar | An occasion or event that occurs within a day | The light and period of time in which humans are active during daytime
2. A particular time span denoting a single solar cycle | An event or experience that takes place within that day | The duration of daylight when activities are commonly performed
3. A defined interval measuring one rotation of the Earth around its axis A noteworthy incident or experience happening within that time frame The interval of illumination marking the time for typical daily actions

Etymology: The word "jour" is best known as the French noun for "day," but its appearance in English is rare and typically confined to set phrases and borrowings such as "soup du jour" or "journal." In these cases, English speakers have directly borrowed the French term, preserving both its spelling and its sense. The first such borrowings started to appear in English writing in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as French cuisine and culture became fashionable among the British upper classes. Tracing its lineage further, the French "jour" itself descends from the Latin "diurnum," meaning "day" or "daily." This Latin root also gave rise to the English "diurnal" and, through a different pathway, to "journal"—literally, a daily record. Thus, these English words are distant cousins, sharing a common ancestor in the Latin term. While "jour" has never been fully naturalized as a standalone English word, its presence lingers in phrases that evoke sophistication or continental flair. Its journey from Latin through French into English set expressions mirrors the broader historical interplay between the languages, especially in the realms of food, fashion, and culture.

Synonyms: day