Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
A letter, or character, used in the written language of various ancient Germanic peoples, especially the Scandinavians and the Anglo-Saxons.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A letter from any visually similar script, such as Hungarian runes (the Old Hungarian script) or Turkic runes (the Old Turkic script).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A Finnic or Scandinavian epic poem, or a division of one, especially a division of the Kalevala.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A letter or mark used as a mystical or magic symbol.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A verse or song, especially one with mystical or mysterious overtones; a spell or an incantation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: enchantment, hex, cantrip, chantment, charm, craft, dwimmer, incantation, magic, magic spell, makutu, mojo, obeah, pishogue, rune, spell, spellword, wanga
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative form of roun (“secret or mystery”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A Unicode code point.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To compose or perform poetry or songs.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, intransitive, poetic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
any character from an ancient Germanic alphabet used in Scandinavia from the 3rd century to the Middle Ages
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: runic letter
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: character, grapheme, graphic symbol
Narrower terms: thorn
History
Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *rūnābor.? Proto-Germanic *rūnō Proto-Germanic *rūnǭ Proto-Norse ᚱᚢᚾᛟ (runo) Old Norse rúnbor. English rune Borrowed from Old Norse rún, which is from Proto-Germanic *rūnō (“letter, literature, secret”), which is borrowed either from Proto-Celtic *rūnā or from the same source as it; compare Dutch rune, German Rune, Raune, Danish rune and Swedish runa. Compare roun. ; Finnic epic poem ; "code point"
Across languages
53 source translations are retained for this English entry.
