n. A letter or character used by the peoples of northern Europe from an early period to the eleventh century; in the plural, the ancient Scandinavian alphabets, believed to be derived from a Greek source; especially, the letters carved on stones, weapons, etc., found in Scandinavia, Scotland, and Ireland. Runes are found in almost all the maritime parts of Europe.n. A short mystic sentence embodying the wisdom of the old Northern philosophers.n. A secret; mystery; obscure saying.n. Early rimes or poetry expressed, or which might be expressed, in runic characters.n. Any song, poem, verse, or the like, which is mystically or obscurely expressed.n. An obsolete variant of rine, run.