Vocabulary in The Hunger Games

The annual lottery ceremony in which one boy and one girl from each district are selected by drawing to compete in the Hunger Games as tributes.

An extra entry added to the reaping lottery in exchange for a small amount of grain and oil; poorer children take more tesserae, increasing their odds of being chosen.

A young person selected from a district to compete in the Hunger Games; the word strips away individual identity and marks the person as a sacrificial offering.

The Capitol's uniformed military police force stationed in each district to enforce laws and suppress any resistance or disorder.

The ruling city-state that controls all twelve districts, organizes the Hunger Games, and enjoys extreme wealth while the districts live in poverty.

An illegal black-market trading post in District 12 where residents buy and sell goods outside the Capitol's sanctioned economy.

A genetically engineered wasp created by the Capitol whose venom causes intense hallucinations and can be lethal in large doses.

Genetically engineered hybrid animals created by the Capitol, often used as weapons or threats; shortened in the text to 'mutts.'

The panel of Capitol officials who design the arena, control environmental conditions during the Games, and score tributes during training.

A person who has been punished by the Capitol by having their tongue cut out, forcing them into silent servitude, typically as a servant to tributes or Capitol citizens.

The large golden horn-shaped structure at the center of the arena where weapons, food, and supplies are piled at the start of the Games, triggering an immediate deadly scramble.

A wealthy Capitol citizen who pays to send gifts such as food, medicine, or tools to a tribute during the Games as a form of support and investment.

A former Hunger Games victor assigned to coach and advise a district's tributes, helping them survive and secure sponsors.

Tributes from wealthier districts who have trained for the Games their whole lives and volunteer to compete, giving them a significant physical and tactical advantage.

A wild berry in the arena that is highly poisonous and fatal if eaten; the name and the berries become a pivotal plot element near the Games' end.

A small silver delivery device that floats gifts from sponsors down to a tribute inside the arena during the Games.

A three-pronged spear used as a weapon in the arena; associated with a particular tribute skilled in its use.

To disguise oneself or an object by blending into the surrounding environment using paint, mud, or plant material so as to avoid detection.

A medicated ointment or healing cream applied to wounds, burns, or injuries to soothe and promote recovery.

A tight band wrapped around a limb to compress blood vessels and stop severe bleeding from a wound.

A chemical solution used to purify water or disinfect wounds so they do not become infected.

A simple trap made of wire or cord set to catch small animals for food; Katniss uses these hunting skills from her life outside the district fence.

The total amount of food or goods gathered or caught in a single outing, used here to describe what Katniss brings back from hunting.

The skin and fur of a hunted animal, traded or sold for goods at the black market.

A type of wild game bird found in the arena that can be hunted and eaten for sustenance.