rune

¹

[ roon ]

noun

1. any of the characters of certain ancient alphabets, as of a script used for writing the Germanic languages, especially of Scandinavia and Britain, from c200 to c1200, or a script used for inscriptions in a Turkic language of the 6th to 8th centuries from the area near the Orkhon River in Mongolia.
2. something written or inscribed in such characters.
3. an aphorism, poem, or saying with mystical meaning or for use in casting a spell.

rune

²

[ roon ]

noun

, Literary.

1. a poem, song, or verse.

rune

/ ruːn /

noun

1. any of the characters of an ancient Germanic alphabet, derived from the Roman alphabet, in use, esp in Scandinavia, from the 3rd century ad to the end of the Middle Ages. Each character was believed to have a magical significance
2. any obscure piece of writing using mysterious symbols
3. a kind of Finnish poem or a stanza in such a poem

Derived Forms

• ˈrunic, adjective

Other Words From

• runelike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rune¹

First recorded in 1675–85; from Old Norse rūn “secret, writing, runic character”; cognate with Old English rūn, Middle English rune, obsolete English roun; round ²

Origin of rune²

First recorded in 1865–70; from Finnish runo “poem, canto,” from Scandinavian; rune ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of rune¹

Old English rūn , from Old Norse rūn secret; related to Old Saxon, Old High German, Gothic runa

Example Sentences

The SS rune was designed for use by the Nazi units in 1929.

From BBC

How we put down our thoughts evolves, because that’s what a smart society does — after all, Egyptians don’t use hieroglyphics anymore, nor do Scandinavians use runes.

From Los Angeles Times

So they replaced it with a Germanic “sun wheel” or a Sig rune.

From Salon

He is, appropriately, imposing — a strong-jawed Norseman silhouetted against the western sun, surrounded by monolithic rune stones inscribed with the names of Ballard’s Scandinavian immigrant families, for whom he is a symbol of cultural pride.

From Seattle Times

Bermudez and Craven saw runes in Iceland, beaches in French Polynesia and temples in Peru.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ballad
• epic
• jingle
• lyrics
• poem
• poetry
• rhyme
• sonnet
• stanza