Nagini
/nəˈɡiːni/noun
A female serpent or serpent-being, especially the fictional snake companion of Voldemort in the Harry Potter series.
Did you know?In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, nāgas are powerful serpent beings associated with water, hidden treasure, fertility, and supernatural knowledge—not simply ordinary snakes.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nāga
“Serpent, cobra, or supernatural serpent-being; also an elephant in some contexts”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nāginī
“Female nāga; a female serpent or serpent-being”
Ancient Buddhist and Hindu texts
Sanskrit/Pali
nāginī
“A female serpent spirit, often portrayed as powerful, protective, or capable of taking human form”
19th Century
English
naga
“A loanword for a serpent deity or mythological serpent-being in South and Southeast Asian traditions”
1997
English
Nagini
“A fictional female snake introduced as Voldemort’s companion in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”
Modern English
English
Nagini
“A proper name chiefly associated with Voldemort’s snake and later expanded backstory in the Harry Potter universe”