| Lang1: | pg |
| Lang2: | oe |
| Lang3: | on |
| Name1: |
|
| Name2a: | Ōs |
| Name2b: | Āc |
| Name2c: | Æsc |
| Name3: | Óss |
| Meaning1: | "god" |
| Meaning2a: | "god" |
| Meaning2b: | "oak" |
| Meaning2c: | "ash" |
| Meaning3: | "god" |
| Unicode Hex1: | 16A8 |
| Unicode Hex2a: | 16A9 |
| Unicode Hex2b: | 16AA |
| Unicode Hex2c: | 16AB |
| Unicode Hex3a: | 16AC |
| Unicode Hex3b: | 16AD |
| Transliteration1: | a |
| Transliteration2a: | o |
| Transliteration2b: | a |
| Transliteration2c: | æ |
| Transliteration3: | ą |
| Transcription1: | a |
| Transcription2a: | o |
| Transcription2b: | a |
| Transcription2c: | æ |
| Transcription3: | ą, o |
| Ipa1: | pronounced as /[a(ː)]/ |
| Ipa2a: | pronounced as /[o(ː)]/ |
| Ipa2b: | pronounced as /[ɑ(ː)]/ |
| Ipa2c: | pronounced as /[æ(ː)]/ |
| Ipa3: | pronounced as /[ɑ̃]/, pronounced as /[o(ː)]/ |
| Position1: | 4 |
| Position2a: | 4 |
| Position2b: | 25 |
| Position2c: | 26 |
| Position3: | 4 |
Ansuz is the conventional name given to the a-rune of the Elder Futhark, .The name is based on Proto-Germanic *ansuz, denoting a deity belonging to the principal pantheon in Germanic paganism.
The shape of the rune is likely from Neo-Etruscan a, like Latin A ultimately from Phoenician aleph.
In the Norwegian rune poem, óss is given a meaning of "estuary" while in the Anglo-Saxon one, English, Old (ca.450-1100);: ōs takes the Latin meaning of "mouth". The Younger Futhark rune is transliterated as ą to distinguish it from the new ár rune (ᛅ), which continues the jēran rune after loss of prevocalic *j- in Proto-Norse *jár (Old Saxon jār).
Since the name of a is attested in the Gothic alphabet as Gothic: ahsa or Gothic: aza, the common Germanic name of the rune may thus either have been *ansuz "god", or *ahsam "ear (of wheat)".
The Anglo-Saxon futhorc split the Elder Futhark a rune into three independent runes due to the development of the vowel system in Anglo-Frisian. These three runes are English, Old (ca.450-1100);: ōs (transliterated o), English, Old (ca.450-1100);: āc "oak" (transliterated a), and English, Old (ca.450-1100);: æsc "ash" (transliterated æ).
See also: Old Norse orthography and Medieval runes. The Younger Futhark corresponding to the Elder Futhark ansuz rune is, called óss. It is transliterated as ą. This represented the phoneme /ɑ̃/, and sometimes /æ/ (also written) and /o/ (also written).The variant grapheme became independent as representing the phoneme /ø/ during the 11th to 14th centuries.
It is mentioned in all three rune poems:
| Rune Poem:[1] | English Translation: | |
| Old Norwegian Óss er flæstra færða fǫr; en skalpr er sværða. | Estuary is the way of most journeys; but a scabbard is of swords. | |
| Old Icelandic Óss er algingautr ok ásgarðs jöfurr, ok valhallar vísi. Jupiter oddviti. | God is aged Gautr and prince of Ásgarðr and lord of Valhalla. | |
| Old English Ōs bẏþ ordfruma ælcre spræce wisdomes wraþu and witena frofur, and eorla gehwam eadnẏs and tohiht. | The mouth is the source of all language, a pillar of wisdom and a comfort to wise men, a blessing and a joy to every knight. | |
Notes:
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