runic

Everyday

1. Written in runes, the letters used by Germanic peoples such as the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons before the Latin alphabet. tree →
2. Mysterious or magical, like old runes (literary). tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons about Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, runic stones and runic inscriptions show names and messages carved in wood or stone. In fantasy stories runic marks are often magical. Phrases: «runic alphabet», «runic inscription», «runic stone».

Examples

• The museum has a runic stone from Viking times. tree →
• The Vikings' runic alphabet is called the futhark. tree →
• We wrote our names in runic letters. tree →
• The sword had a runic inscription on the blade. tree →
• In the fantasy book, the door was covered in glowing runic symbols. tree →
• Runic letters are made of straight lines because they were easy to carve. tree →

Note

From «rune». Fact: runes were mostly used for everyday writing, names and memorials; the idea that they were mainly magic is a modern myth, though some charms existed.