Slytherin
/ˈslaɪðərɪn/noun
A fictional Hogwarts house in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, associated with ambition, resourcefulness, and cunning.
Did you know?The name’s serpent symbolism is reinforced by Salazar Slytherin’s ability to speak Parseltongue, the magical language of snakes.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
Old English
slīdan
“To slide or move smoothly along; a probable Germanic relative of the later slither-family.”
Middle English
Middle English
slid(d)eren
“To slip or slide, with forms associated with creeping or gliding movement.”
16th Century
English
slither
“To slide or move with a twisting, gliding motion.”
20th Century
English
sly
“Cunning, crafty, or deceptively clever; a separate but obvious sound association in the invented name.”
1997
English
Slytherin
“A fictional Hogwarts house introduced in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.”