Meanings
plural runemistresses
- A female runemaster.
By using the runes now, we can hear the runemasters and runemistresses of old speaking directly to us.
1992, Nigel Pennick, Secrets of the Runes: Discover the Magic of the Ancient Runic Alphabet, Thorsons, published 1998, →ISBN, page 2133 more examples
A piece of a loom found in Germany was incised, "Blithgund wrote these runes". This was a standard formula for runemasters and runemistresses.
1997, Sheena McGrath, Asyniur: Women’s Mysteries in the Northern Tradition, Chieveley, Berks: Capall Bann Publishing, →ISBN, page 145In olden times, a runic practitioner was usually also the village shaman and a fair number of them were women, as is consistent with the prominent place of various goddesses in the Norse pantheon (Freya Aswinn, 1990). It was customary for runemasters and runemistresses to wear red trousers or skirts.
1997, Joyce C. Gibb, “Runic Knowing: Revisioning the Oracle”, in Tobin Hart, Peter L. Nelson, Kaisa Puhakka, editors, Spiritual Knowing Alternative Epistemic Perspectives (The State University of West Georgia Studies in the Social Sciences; 34), Carrollton, Ga.: State University of West Georgia, →ISBN, page 189Runes were still cast for divination by tribes and individuals until the eleventh century and the last true runemasters and runemistresses did not die out until about three hundred years ago.
1998, Cassandra Eason, The Complete Book of Divination: How to Use the Most Popular Methods of Fortune Telling, Judy Piatkus, →ISBN, page 112
Origin
- Proto-Celtic*rūnābor.?
- Proto-Germanic*rūnō
- Proto-Germanic*rūnǭ
- Proto-Norseᚱᚢᚾᛟ (runo)
- Old Norserún
- Englishrune
- Proto-Indo-European*meǵh₂-
- Proto-Indo-European*meh₂-
- Proto-Italic*magisteros
- Latinmagister, magistrum
- Old Frenchmaistre
- Old Frenchmaistresse
- Middle Englishmaistresse
- Englishmistress
- Englishrunemistress
Cite this entry
runemistress. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/runemistress
“runemistress.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/runemistress. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “runemistress,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/runemistress.
Source: runemistress on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.