futhark

American  

[foo-thahrk] / ˈfu θɑrk /

Also futharc,

noun

1. the runic alphabet.

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futhark British  

/ ˈfuːθɑːk, ˈfuːθɔːk /

noun

1. a phonetic alphabet consisting of runes

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Etymology

Origin of futhark

1850–55; so called from first six letters of Old English and Scand runic alphabet: f, u, th, a (or o ), r, k (modeled on alphabet )

Explanation

If you've ever seen runic writing on the cover of a fantasy novel, you might already be familiar with the futhark, an alphabet that was used to write the language that Old English, Old Norse, and others are descended from. There were two versions of the futhark: the older and the younger. The Elder Futhark was used from circa 200–800 CE. The Younger Futhark was used in Scandinavia from circa 800–1200 CE. Then there's the futhorc, also called the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, a variant used by speakers of Old English and Old Frisian from around 500–1100 CE. The word futhark comes from the sounds of its first six runes — f, u, þ, a, r, k — just as the word alphabet comes from the Greek alpha and beta. The runes were not only letters but also carried symbolic meanings, such as "protection" or "prosperity."