Avox
/AY-voks/ noun (slur/label)
≈ “Traitor / Silenced person (dehumanizing label)”
A person whose tongue has been cut out as punishment for rebellion against the Capitol. The word itself comes from Latin 'a' (without) + 'vox' (voice). Being called an Avox reduces a person to their punishment — they are defined entirely by what was taken from them.
“Don't look at the Avox. Don't speak to them. They're nobody.”— Various Capitol citizens
Etymology
From Latin: 'a-' (without) + 'vox' (voice). The Capitol literally removes traitors' voices, then labels them by that absence. The word is both a description and a dehumanization — Avoxes are servants treated as non-persons.
Usage History
Used throughout The Hunger Games trilogy (2008-2010) and films (2012-2015). One of the most chilling concepts in the series.
Taboo Trajectory
Maximum dehumanization. The word doesn't sound like a slur — it sounds clinical, which makes it worse. The Capitol has bureaucratized cruelty so thoroughly that even their label for silenced people sounds like a filing category.
Semantic Drift Timeline
Used throughout the trilogy. Katniss recognizes an Avox she saw captured, adding personal horror to the concept. By Mockingjay, the Avoxes become symbols of Capitol cruelty.
Regional Notes
Used throughout Panem, especially in the Capitol where Avoxes serve as mute servants to the wealthy.