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futhark

futhark

1 9.9
An old alphabet of runes used by ancient people in northern Europe
  • noun
  • /ˈfuːθɑrk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : futhark

Examples

  • Actually, that is the Elder Futhark.

  • The Younger Futhark?

  • The ancient Norse inscribed their stories using the Futhark, a unique runic alphabet.

  • Scholars study the Futhark to understand the written language of early Germanic tribes.

  • Many artifacts from the Viking era feature inscriptions in the Futhark runic alphabet.

Surface Forms

futhark singular
futharks plural

Etymology

Futhark gets its name from the sounds of its first six runes, f, u, th, a, r, k, so the name is like saying 'ABC' for our alphabet. So futhark refers to the runic 'alphabet' used by early Germanic people for writing and carving on stones.