Which Harry Potter book by J.K. Rowling is the longest by word count in the English editions?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the longest Harry Potter book by word count in the English editions.

Published in 2003, the fifth novel is generally counted at roughly 257,000 words, making it longer than the other six main books. It follows Harry’s fifth year at Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic’s denial of Voldemort’s return, and the school’s appointment of Dolores Umbridge as High Inquisitor and later headmistress.

The book’s length can be confused with its physical page count, which varies by edition, typography, language, and format. Word-count comparisons are more useful for comparing the original English texts, while translated editions may be substantially longer or shorter.

The next-longest books are commonly identified as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Although Deathly Hallows concludes the series and contains major revelations, it is not the longest novel by English word count.