Journal definition including break down of areas in the definition. Analyzing the definition of key term often provides more insight about concepts. The term journal can be defined as: Record in which transactions are entered before they are posted to ledger accounts; also called book or original journal. Definitions related to the process of recording journal entries can be helpful in describing the process because we often learn a process without being able to explain the process. Definitions, terms, and vocabulary help us to read more critically and explain in greater detail what a process is.