Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

horcrux

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.15 in modern English

Syllables
hor-crux
IPA
19
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

In Harry Potter, an object in which a wizard has concealed a part of their soul through magic, rendering them immortal until the object is irreparably damaged or destroyed.

noun

Something in which one has invested a part of one's self; an object which allows for the preservation of memory, culture, etc.

noun

Alternative letter-case form of horcrux.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Coined by author J. K. Rowling apparently at random; "invent[ed] […] after much transposition of syllables". Fans have pointed to the possible influence of Middle English hore (“iniquity, evil, sin”) and English crux (“the central or essential part”), or Turkish hortlak (“ghost”) among other theories. The term first appears in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005).

Inflected Forms

Synonyms

Questions

What does horcrux mean?
In Harry Potter, an object in which a wizard has concealed a part of their soul through magic, rendering them immortal until the object is irreparably damaged or destroyed.
Where does horcrux come from?
Coined by author J. K. Rowling apparently at random; "invent[ed] […] after much transposition of syllables". Fans have pointed to the possible influence of Middle English hore (“iniquity, evil, sin”) and English crux (“the central or essential part”), or Turkish hortlak (“ghost”) among other theories. The term first appears in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005).

How to pronounce horcrux

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “horcrux”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “horcrux”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “horcrux” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.