The lexicon of Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series is full of intricacies; its lexicon is one of them. Below are key words from the series, some of which have entered our Muggle lives:

Wizard/witch - A person with magical powers. Sure, they've been around forever, but now the words seem inextricably linked to the series.

Muggle - A person without magical powers. The Oxford English Dictionary added the word in 2003, universalizing it as a person who lacks skill or is regarded as inferior.

Hogwarts - The school of witchcraft and wizardry from which countless young non-Muggles longed to receive an owl-delivered letter of acceptance.

Quidditch - A fast-paced sport played on flying brooms. Colleges across the country have created their own teams (alas, on the ground).

Mudblood - A derogatory term for a witch or wizard born to Muggle parents, such as Hermione Granger.

Lord Voldemort - The feared "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," the series' villain murdered James and Lily Potter, but the infant Harry survived the attack.

Invisibility cloak - Harry's inherited garment that allows him and his friends to sneak around undetected.

Time-turner - An hourglass-like device that allows time travel. A seductive idea, but a mixed blessing, as Hermione discovers.

Horcrux - An object used by dark wizards and witches to store fragments of their souls. A key part of the series' conclusion.

Apparate - To disappear from one location and appear in another.

- Dante Anthony Fuoco