Mundane

Mundane is an adjective used to describe something as dull, commonplace, or relating to the earthly world rather than a spiritual or magical one. In the context of the wizarding world, it is used to denote a mindset that is perceived as overly practical, rational, and lacking the spiritual attunement necessary for certain branches of magic, such as Divination. It is not a synonym for Muggle, but rather a descriptor of a particular personality trait or worldview that can be applied to a witch or wizard.

The term “mundane” appears only once in the original seven novels. In *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*, Hermione Granger storms out of her Divination class after a confrontation with Professor Trelawney. She later tells Harry Potter and Ron Weasley about the encounter, stating: “She said… she said I have the most mundane soul she had ever met.” Sybill Trelawney used the term as an insult, suggesting that Hermione's logical, fact-based mind was incompatible with the “noble art” of fortune-telling. Hermione's constant questioning and skepticism, rooted in her academic nature, were interpreted by Trelawney not as intellectual rigor but as a spiritual deficiency, a soul “as dry as the pages of the books to which you so desperately cleave.”

While both terms relate to the non-magical, “mundane” and “Muggle” have distinct meanings in the series.

• Muggle: A noun referring to a person born without any magical ability. It is a fundamental classification of a person's nature.
• Mundane: An adjective describing a quality or characteristic. Professor Trelawney's use of the term against Hermione Granger, a gifted witch, proves that one does not need to be a Muggle to be considered “mundane.” In this context, it refers to a soul or disposition that is grounded in the ordinary, physical world and lacks the imagination or belief required for mystical arts.

The word “mundane” originates from the Late Latin mundanus, meaning “belonging to the world,” which derives from mundus, the Latin word for “world.” Its historical meaning is tied to that which is earthly or secular, as opposed to that which is spiritual or heavenly. This etymology perfectly aligns with Professor Trelawney's use of the word to criticize Hermione's focus on the tangible, provable world over the intuitive, spiritual realm of Divination.

• The line where Hermione Granger reports Sybill Trelawney's insult is included in the film adaptation of *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*. (film)
• Although used only once, the term is significant as it encapsulates the philosophical conflict between different approaches to magic within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—specifically, the clash between Hermione's empirical, logic-driven worldview and Trelawney's intuitive, faith-based discipline.