Muggle

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.)

Muggle was also Marijuana related jazz slang in the early 20th century; see: Muggles.