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Muggle

A Muggle, in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, is a person with no magical abilities. The term is used by those who can use magic to refer to those who cannot.

It was first defined by Hagrid after a fairly good-natured jibe at Mr. Dursley:

Hagrid: "I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him,"

Harry: "A what?"

Hagrid: "A Muggle. It's what we call non-magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."

The term is usually used innocuously by most wizards and witches, but is also used in a derogatory way by some of the more evil characters: this is how Rowling suggests something analogous to racism. Related terms are:

• "Pure blood" - a term for a wizard or witch whose ancestors have possessed magical powers for untold generations. Examples: Lucius Malfoy[?], Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley
• "Half blood" - a derogatory term used to describe the offspring of a wizard or witch and a Muggle. Examples: Harry Potter, Tom Riddle
• "Mudblood" - a derogatory term used to describe a wizard or witch born to Muggle parents. Examples: Hermione Granger, Lily Potter[?]
• "Squib" - a derogatory term used to describe an individual of wizard heritage without magical powers. Examples: Filch[?], Arabella Figg

An author named Nancy Stouffer sued Rowling (but lost her case) for trademark infringement over her use of the term Muggles. (See Nancy Stouffer for details.)

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