10 New Words that Game of Thrones Taught Us

Game of Thrones has taught us many things – don’t trust certain people, don’t ever have a favorite character in this show, don’t take prophecies lightly…

But it has also expanded our vocabulary by adding quite a few words to it. Sure, they may be made-up or words used only in a fantasy-world setting, but they’re words nonetheless. Don’t deny you’ve used some of them in your day-to-day lives, even while talking to those friends who don’t watch the show or haven’t read the books. Khaleesi, Khal, Greyscale, Septon, Mhysa…

Whatever your new favorite word for the day is, I bet you even say it with the correct accent. Here are ten words from the Game of Thrones HBO show and the A Song of Ice and Fire books that will most likely stay with us for the rest of our non-fantasy lives.

1) Maester

The Order of the Maesters is not part of any religion. Maesters often serve as advisors to their king, and every House has a Royal Maester. Their rank system is measured by how heavy their Sigil is – the heavier the golden chain, the wiser he is.

2) Wildlings

Descendants of the First Men, they are divided from the Northerners by the Wall. Wildlings don’t follow a monarchic order like Westeros, choosing their leader themselves. The preferred term for them would be Free-Folk – ‘Wildling’ is a derogatory term for them.

3) Dragonglass

This material can be found in large quantities in Dragonstone Island, where Daenerys Targaryen currently calls home. It was a really important tool to the Children of the Forest, and they fashioned it into weapons in order to both create and kill White Walkers. How were White Walkers created? The Children of the Forest shoved a shard of dragonglass into a human’s chest.

4) Warg

While wargs can only enter the minds of animals, Bran was an exception to it. He can be seen warging into Hodor’s mind every once in a while, making it a catastrophe when he accidentally does it during a vision. It has been rumored that all the Stark children are wargs, but only Bran has been seen doing it.

5) Direwolf

Fun fact: an adult direwolf is as large as a small horse and can rip a man’s arm from its socket. Makes Nymeria, Ghost, Summer, Shaggydog, Grey Wind, and Lady seem a little less cuddly and a lot scarier.

6) Greensight

Jojen Reed, the Three-Eyed Raven, and Bran Stark have done it. They become invisible yet present in the past or future, witnessing events they weren’t or won’t be around for.

7) Weirwood

There are a lot of Weirwood trees in the godswoods of Winterfell. It’s said that the Children of the Forest carved the faces on the trunks, decorating them.

8) Dothraki

Not just a language, the Dothraki are a savage race of nomadic horse-mounted warrior from Essos. Their warriors are also called “horselords”, and they’re easily recognized by their fierce war cry as they charge into battle.

9) Wildfire

Wildfire was a huge game changer during the Battle of the Blackwater and was the cause of the destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor in King’s Landing. It’s said that the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, kept some Wildfire underneath the Dragon Pit. I guess we shall see if that’s the case next season…

10) Valar Morghulis

Spoken many times by Arya Stark and Jaqen H-ghar, it’s a really creepy greeting in Bavos, often followed by the response “Valar Dohaeris” – “All Men Must Serve”. This phrase helps Arya arrive in the House of Black and White, where her brief and brutal training with the Faceless Men took off.