If you didn't go to school at Hogwarts, Beauxbatons or Durmstrang, you may not know every wizarding word you hear in the Harry Potter movies or read in the HP books.
Many kind fellow-fans have taken the time to put together lists of words that wizards use to help out the Muggles who love Harry Potter.
The most popular among them are the spells and incantations, and the animals and creatures that feature in the Harry Potter series, here presented in an A-Z list:
Harry Potter spells, charms and curses
Accio (AH-kee-yo) - A charm to summon objects.
Alohomora (alo-ho-MOR-a) - A simple spell to open locked objects like doors or chests.
Avada Kadavra (a-VA-da ka-DAV-ra) - the very worst of three unforgiveable curses, and the one used by Voldemort against Harry's parents.
Crucio (KROO-see-oh) - One of the three unforgiveable curses used to inflict mental anguish or to torture opponents.
Expecto Patronum (eks-PEK-toh pa-TROH-num) - A powerful spell that defends against Dementors.
Expelliarmus (ex-pel-EE-arm-us) - A popular spell used to disarm an opponent.
Imperio (im-PIER-ee-yo) - Another of the unforgiveable curses that places the victim completely under one's control.
Morsmorde (mors-MOR-druh) - The spell to summon the skull-and-serpent "dark mark" used by Voldemort and the Death Eaters.
Riddikulus (ree-DIK-uh-lus) - A spell to disarm a bogart (a creature that turns into the thing you most fear) by turning it into something laughably ridiculous.
Stupefy (STOO-puh-fie) - A spell to knock out or stun opponents.
Harry potter animals and creatures
Acromantula - a gigantic man-eating spider.
Basilisk - A giant serpent which can only be controlled by someone especially skilled in Parseltongue (snake language).
Centaurs - Half-man, half-horse, these creatures are most known for carrying off Dolores Umbridge in the Forbidden Forest. (Also see Harry Potter creatures.)
Cerberus - the Greek myth on which "Fluffy", the three-headed dog, is based.
Dragons - Giant, fire-breathing flying reptiles such as the Norwegian Ridgeback and the Hungarian Horntail.
Goblins - Unpleasant, human-like creatures with long noses, fingers and toes who run the Gringotts Wizarding bank.
Hippogryphs - Part-horse and part-bird, hippogryphs require a ritual bow of respect before attempting to get close.
House elves - Magical creatures with big eyes and usually meek demeanors who strive to please their masters.
Merpeople - Creatures with the human-like arms and torso but with a fish tail that make them expert swimmers. Similar to mermaids, but not nearly as attractive.
Phoenix - A large red bird with beautiful plummage, the phoenix is known for regenerating itself by exploding into flames and rising from its own ashes.
Just up ahead find more names of Harry potter characters, discover the places that are key to major plot lines, as well as Harry Potter creatures, and the spells and technical wizardry terms that help readers get swept away by the magic within the entire series.
Along with explanations of what different terms mean, a stickler for detail may also find references for discovering each word in context within particular chapters of the Harry Potter saga.
Harry Potter glossaries, pronunciations and terms around the Web:
Harry Potter Glossary - Check the official UK book publisher for a complete identification of character names and what roles they play in the book along with, spells and incantations, animals and creatures, settings and places.
The Harry Potter Lexicon-
From A to Z, you'll find the meanings of words that wizards use
for spells, the names of strange creatures, places in the wizarding
world and more.