Voldemort
Voldemort (noun) means Informally, a person or thing so feared or reviled that people avoid naming it directly. Example: “The office treated the failed project like Voldemort — nobody would say its name out loud.”
How to use Voldemort
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething so dreaded that people dance around naming it directly, borrowed from the Harry Potter villain everyone was afraid to name.
Informal and pop-culture in tone; mostly used jokingly.
Word forms
Voldemorted past tense, Voldemorts plural, Voldemorts singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The office treated the failed project like _____ — nobody would say its name out loud.
Etymology
From Lord Voldemort, the villain of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels, whose name characters fearfully avoid saying aloud, preferring euphemisms like "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
Frequently asked questions
What does “Voldemort” mean?
The word “Voldemort” means informally, a person or thing so feared or reviled that people avoid naming it directly. In plain terms, something so dreaded that people dance around naming it directly, borrowed from the Harry Potter villain everyone was afraid to name.
How do you pronounce “Voldemort”?
“Voldemort” is pronounced VOHL-duh-maw (/ˈvoʊldəˌmɔɹ(t)/ in IPA).
How do you use “Voldemort” in a sentence?
Here is “Voldemort” used in a sentence: “The office treated the failed project like Voldemort — nobody would say its name out loud.”
What part of speech is “Voldemort”?
Depending on how it is used, “Voldemort” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “Voldemort” have?
“Voldemort” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informally, a person or thing so feared or reviled that people avoid naming it directly.