/ ruːn; NAmE / noun
1.
one of the letters in an alphabet that people in northern Europe used in ancient times and cut into wood or stone
2.
a symbol that has a mysterious or magic meaning
► runic adjective :
runic inscriptions
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English rūn a secret, mystery ; not recorded between Middle English and the late 17th cent., when it was reintroduced under the influence of Old Norse rúnir , rúnar magic signs, hidden lore.