RUNE

noun Etymology: Old Norse & Old English rūn mystery, runic character, writing; akin to Old High German rūna secret discussion, Old Irish rún mystery Date: 1690 any of the characters of any of several alphabets used by the Germanic peoples from about the 3d to the 13th centuries, mystery , magic , 3. \Finnish runo, of Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse rūn] a Finnish or Old Norse poem, poem , song , runic adjective