rune

noun

1
: any of the characters of any of several alphabets used by the Germanic peoples from about the 3rd to the 13th centuries
2
3
[Finnish runo, of Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse rūn]
a
: a Finnish or Old Norse poem
b
: poem, song
runic adjective

Illustration of rune

Illustration of rune
  • Anglo-Saxon runic alphabet

Examples of rune in a Sentence

wrote many mournful runes after her lover's untimely death
Recent Examples on the Web Archaeologists have discovered a 2,000-year-old iron knife with engravings that could be the oldest runes ever identified in Denmark. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024 The tablet was inscribed with runes recording a massacre of Scandinavian explorers deep in North America—more than a century before Columbus set sail. Daniel T. Ksepka, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023 Several of its runes are either ancient forms that had been discarded by the 14th century or more modern ones that had not yet come into use. Daniel T. Ksepka, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023 Bermudez and Craven saw runes in Iceland, beaches in French Polynesia and temples in Peru. Renée Reizman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2023 Alongside the theatre’s Greek Revival architecture, the Loverboy Red Coats combine Mark Rothko’s lyrical application of the color red with Anglo-Saxon runes relating to service and help. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2023 Splashes of color, bubbles, tubes, machinery, and glowing rocks covered with runes flow across the room in response to what the telescope has found. Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2023 Gotham People love to read the runes of a private relationship on the most inconsequential of ephemera, and the internet has given a new lens through which all pop cultural phenomena can be ruthlessly examined. Daniel Rodgers, Glamour, 7 Sep. 2023 Schultz wears a necklace with the Viking rune Uruz, another reminder of his journey in the past year. Dave Melton, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rune.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Old Norse & Old English rūn mystery, runic character, writing; akin to Old High German rūna secret discussion, Old Irish rún mystery

First Known Use

1676, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rune was in 1676

Dictionary Entries Near rune

Cite this Entry

“Rune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rune. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rune

noun
: any of the characters of an alphabet used by the Germanic peoples from about the 3rd to the 13th centuries
runic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on rune

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