rune

Where does the word "rune" come from? It comes from Old Norse run, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Rune’s story begins in Old Norse: run meant “a secret, a mystical letter.” A letter of the early Germanic alphabet, believed to carry mystical meaning. It reached English by 1600s as rune. Settled as the word for the ancient mystical letters. Today, rune means a letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet, often associated with magic.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval run "a secret, a mystical letter", a letter of the early Germanic alphabet, believed to carry mystical meaning.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s rune "a letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet", settled as the word for the ancient mystical letters.