n. 1 any of the letters of the earliest Germanic alphabet used by Scandinavians and Anglo-Saxons from about the 3rd c. and formed by modifying Roman or Greek characters to suit carving. 2 a similar mark of mysterious or magic significance. 3 a Finnish poem or a division of it. rune-staff 1 a magic wand inscribed with runes. 2 a runic calendar. runic adj.
[ ON r£n (only in pl. r£nar) magic sign, rel. to OE run ]