Mudblood

• Incantation: Mudblood
• Pronunciation: /ˈmʌd.blʌd/ (MUHD-blud)
• Wand Movement: None
• Light: None
• Effect: A highly offensive and derogatory slur aimed at a witch or wizard of non-magical parentage (Muggle-born). It is intended to cause deep emotional and psychological distress by implying the target's magic is tainted or “dirty” due to their ancestry.
• Type: Slur / Verbal Curse

The term “Mudblood” is a cornerstone of pure-blood supremacist ideology, which asserts that magical ability is diluted or contaminated by non-magical heritage. Its use is a clear indicator of a speaker's prejudice and is considered extremely foul language in the wider wizarding world.

• Draco Malfoy to Hermione Granger: The first prominent use of the term in the series occurs when Draco Malfoy calls Hermione Granger a “filthy little Mudblood” after she accuses him of buying his way onto the Slytherin Quidditch team. The slur provokes a violent reaction from Ron Weasley, who attempts to curse Malfoy with `Eat Slugs`, though the spell backfires due to his broken wand. Rubeus Hagrid later explains to Harry Potter that the term is one not used in civilized conversation.
• Salazar Slytherin's Ideology: The prejudice underlying the term originates with Hogwarts founder Salazar Slytherin, who believed that only students from all-magical families should be taught at the school. This belief led to his creation of the Chamber of Secrets, intended to house a monster that would purge the school of those he deemed unworthy, namely Muggle-borns.
• The Malfoy Family: The Malfoys are frequent users of the slur. Lucius Malfoy almost directs the term at Hermione in Flourish and Blotts before being interrupted by Arthur Weasley.
• The Black Family: The fanatical pure-blood prejudice of the House of Black is evident in their use of the term. The portrait of Walburga Black at 12 Grimmauld Place screams “Mudbloods” at members of the Order of the Phoenix, and the family's house-elf, Kreacher, mutters the slur in reference to Hermione.
• Severus Snape to Lily Evans: In a pivotal memory, a teenage Severus Snape calls his childhood friend Lily Evans (later Lily Potter) a “Mudblood” out of anger and humiliation after being tormented by James Potter and Sirius Black. This act of cruelty irreparably severs their friendship, a moment that haunts Snape for the rest of his life.
• Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters: The term is central to the ideology of Lord Voldemort and his followers. During their control of the Ministry of Magic in the Second Wizarding War, they institutionalize this prejudice through the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, which persecutes Muggle-borns under the false pretense that they stole their magic.

The term is not learned as a formal spell but is absorbed through exposure to pure-blood supremacist culture. There is no direct magical counter-spell to the slur itself, as its effect is psychological. However, characters in the series employ several methods of countering its impact:

• Physical and Magical Defense: The most immediate reaction is often retaliation. Ron Weasley's attempt to hex Malfoy is a prime example. Arthur Weasley physically brawls with Lucius Malfoy in part due to Lucius's clear disdain for the Weasleys' association with Muggle-borns like Hermione.
• Social Condemnation: Decent members of the wizarding world react to the word with disgust and anger, immediately condemning its user. Hagrid's firm explanation of the word's foulness to Harry and Hermione helps frame it as unacceptable.
• Rejection of Ideology: The most powerful counter is to reject the prejudice it represents. Hagrid comforts Hermione by reminding her that many of the best witches and wizards were Muggle-born, citing Harry's own mother, Lily Potter, as a prime example. Hermione's continued academic and magical excellence serves as a constant refutation of the idea that she is inferior.

The word is a simple but potent compound of English words:

• Mud: Refers to wet soil or dirt, implying filth, impurity, and low, common origins.
• Blood: Refers to lineage, ancestry, and heritage.

Combined, Mudblood literally means “dirty blood” and is used to brand a Muggle-born witch or wizard as unclean and unworthy of their magical abilities.

• In interviews, J.K. Rowling has stated that the pure-blood ideology and terms like “Mudblood” were directly inspired by racial supremacist doctrines, such as those of the Nazis. The theme of bigotry is central to the series, with this slur being its most explicit verbal manifestation (J.K. Rowling interview).
• The films effectively portray the shock and hurt caused by the term, particularly in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets adaptation, where the gravity of Malfoy's insult to Hermione is a key moment for the characters (film).
• The Pottermore website expands on the history of the “Sacred Twenty-Eight,” a list of supposedly “truly” pure-blood families, further contextualizing the deep-seated prejudice from which the term “Mudblood” originates (Pottermore).