Rún
/ɾˠuːnˠ/noun
An Irish word meaning a secret, mystery, confidence, or beloved person.
Did you know?Irish rún is cognate with Germanic rune, linking the idea of a secret or mystery with the symbols later used for magical and divinatory inscriptions.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*rewH-
“To murmur, roar, or utter a sound; the proposed ancient root behind words for spoken or hidden utterance.”
Proto-Celtic
Proto-Celtic
*rūnos
“A secret or mystery.”
Old Irish
Old Irish
rún
“A secret, mystery, confidence, or beloved person.”
Middle Irish
Middle Irish
rún
“A secret, confidential matter, or intimate affection.”
Modern Irish
Irish
rún
“A secret, mystery, confidence, or sweetheart; also used in compounds and personal names.”
Modern English
English
rún
“An Irish loanword or cultural term referring to an Irish secret, mystery, or beloved person.”