New Klingon Words
The words listed here were revealed or expanded upon after the publication of The Klingon Dictionary and Klingon for the Galactic Traveler. This list was originally compiled and maintained for many years by Will Martin (a.k.a. charghwI'), then it was curated by Alan Anderson (a.k.a. ghunchu'wI'), and has now been handed over to a team of volunteers lead by Tali Smith (a.k.a. tIjey). Note that not all of these words are perfectly defined, and the list is subject to additions, deletions, and emendations as our knowledge increases. The choice of what words deserve to be included in this list is up to the team. Send them suggestions for additional entries, realizing that only words from confirmed Okrand sources will be accepted, and the source must be cited. See the explanation at the bottom of this list for source abbreviation descriptions.
In order not to compete with Dr. Okrand's income via royalties, the vocabulary of TKD and KGT will not be reproduced here. For a complete word list, combine this list with the ones in those two books.
Last updated: 2025-04-14
Qa
v
grow (increase in size)
QelIS boqHarmey
Qab
n
theragen [Appeared in TOS episode #63: The Tholian Web]
Unk
QaDmoHwI' DIr
n
towel
TN!LK
Qagh
n
[computer] bug
Feb 2018 email to De'vID
QaHa'
v
un-grow (shrink back to original size)
QelIS boqHarmey
Qaj
n
type of animal with brown lips, kradge [{Qaj wuS rur} often used to indicate brown colored object.]
HolQeD v8n1p7
Qal
v
swim
TN!LK
QalwI' Sut
n
swimsuit
qepHom 2024
Qap
v.t.
win (a competition) ["'To win' a competition is Qap. (If it's a decisive or particularly gratifying victory, they'd say Qapchu', even though that's a bit redundant.) In TKD, Qap is translated as 'succeed, work, function. To a Klingon, to win is to function perfectly.]
from Okrand's notes, HolQeD v2n4p18, TKW p211
QapmIw
n
career [From chabal tetlh: "long-term commitment or occupation, usually within a single profession, undertaken for a significant period of a person's life and with opportunities for progress".
Not the same as 'aSteD, occupation, job.] [Request]
qep'a' 31
QapwI' mIr
n
winning streak [less common way to say it]
qep'a' 25
Qaq
v
behave falsely honorably, behave in a falsely honorable manner [deception is implied]
HolQeD, v12n3p8
Qaw
v
to rub [The object is the surface being rubbed. Maltz recalled a joke about rubbing something backwards and destroying it. The joke was probably funny.] [Request]
qepHom 2023
Qaw'
v
destroy [TKD erroneously lists this as a noun in both E-K and K-E word lists, but at the top of p49 it is described as a verb, not a noun. It is also used as a verb in TKW p211.]
TKD p49, TKW p211
Qay
n
sound of letter Q [alphabet]
qep'a' 16
Qay'
v
use the little toe
HolQeD v10n2p10
Qay'mol
n
puzzle [like a jigsaw puzzle or those metal hoops that need to be untangled or any puzzle that involves a physical object or objects that must be manipulated.]
qepHom 17
Qay'mol teSra'
n
puzzle piece [referring to a jigsaw puzzle]
qepHom 17
Qay'wI'
n
little toe, fifth toe
HolQeD v10n2p7
Qa'Hom
n
an animal (not a bird), like a Qa' but smaller [This does not make a ruckus at dawn, like the jajlo' Qa']
HolQeD v10n4p5
Qechjem
n
stem, stalk
qep'a' 23
Qechjem'a'
n
trunk (of tree)
qepHom 15
Qej
v
prize, treasure
Monopoly
Qem
v
holster, sheathe, pocket (weapon, tool, instrument) [Friends of Maltz: janSIy]
qep'a' 23
QemjIq
n
hole, hollow [Marc Okrand email 2012-01-02]
qepHom
Qenno'
n
pulp (of a plant)
qep'a' 23
Qep'It
n
any gas produced by a body
HolQeD, v12n4p8
Qeq
v
aim [For the idea of Face (orient towards) - The object is the one oriented toward someone or something, and the thing or person being faced is marked with -Daq. With this meaning, this verb is often used with -'egh or -chuq.] [Request]
qep'a' 27
Qer
v
revert (to)
qepHom 2024
QermoH
v
recycle [Recycle trash or reuse something that cannot fulfil its original purpose anymore.]
qepHom 2024
Qe' much
n
cabaret (show) [the show performed in a much Qe']
qepHom 2017
QI
n
bridge (over a river) [Marc Okrand email to Qov August 2012]
misc
QIch wab
n
speech sound [phoneme]
Feb 2018 email to De'vID
QIch wab Ho'DoS
n
pronunciation
Feb 2018 email to De'vID
QIch wab ngutlh qol
n
alphabet, writing system
qepHom 2024
QID
v
wound
This was omitted from the English-Klingon listing of TKD
QIl
v
be desperate ["...as when there's no way out, they have nothing to lose. This includes ideas like 'last-ditch, do-or-die, hopeless, doomed.'"]
Marc Okrand email to Lieven January 2018
QIn
n
spear head, sharpened end of pencil [Likely, this can refer to the sharp end of anything spearlike with poke potential.]
HolQeD v12n2p6
QIn
v
inject
OZ
QIn pup
n
plain spearhead with single sharp point
KGT p64
QIn tum
n
postal service
qepHom 15
QIn tum qach
n
post office (building)
qepHom 15
QIn vagh
n
spearhead with multiple points
KGT p64
QIn 'echletHom
n
postcard
TN!LK
QIncha'
n
type of animal, Krencha [qep'a' wa'maH chorghDIch]
paq'batlh
QIq
v
draw, pull out (weapon, tool, instrument) [Friends of Maltz: janSIy]
qep'a' 23
QIS
v
to sew [This has been previously glossed as "stitch," but it also be used more generally for "sew."]
qepHom 2023
QI'lop
n
a holiday
from PK, this is a guess as to what Michael Dorn was pronouncing
QI'tu'
n
paradise [In Klingon mythology, this was the source of all creation]
from the Addendum of TKD, KCD
QI'yaH
excl
Klingon curse [vulgar Klingon expression; one of the strongest, most foul Klingon expressions; it defies translation]
TKD p58, KCD
Qoghogh
v
snort [like a pig does, but not restricted to pigs or targs]
qepHom 17
QongDaq 'echlet tun
n
mattress
qepHom 15
QongDaqDaq
n
in bed
TKW p40
Qovpatlh
excl
epithet
TKD p178
Qoy
v.t.
hear, [listen to] [Used as Sentence As Object, TKW p195]
TKW p31
Qoyje'
n
certificate, diploma ["proof or verification of some sort of achievement or accomplishment"]
Marc Okrand email to DYM May 2015
Qoylu'taH
v
the clock is ticking (idiomatically) [Is used in a situation when one is working towards a deadline, for instance.]
qepHom 2017
Qoy'
v
spill [It's used when the liquid slops over or out of whatever container it was in. If you bump into a glass of beer on the table and, as a result, the beer spills, then you can say HIq vIQoy'moH(pu') jay'.]
qepHom 17
Qu
v
cast (metal)
qepHom 15
QuH
v
attract [for people]
qepHom 2024
QuHHa'
v
repel [for people]
qepHom 2024
QujmeH moQ
n
ball
TN!LK
Qulpa'
n
research lab
BoP Poster
Qum
n
communications, communication related technology
BoP Poster
QumeH ngaSwI'
n
mold (for casting)
qepHom 15
Qumran
n
scroll [Marc Okrand email 2013-06-03]
qepHom 11
Qun
n
god, supernatural being
SKNG:18JUL1999
Qun le''aq
n
messenger, angel [See le''aq.]
qep'a' 31
Qung
v
be rounded, blunt [like the corner of table that is not a sharp angle]
qepHom 17
Qur
n
structure, organization, arrangement, anatomy [Marc Okrand email 2011-10-24]
qepHom 10
Qutlh
v
support
BoP Poster
Qu'Hom
n
errand
qep'a' 25
Qu'vatlh
excl
Klingon curse [CK: said in moments of extreme anger]
TKD p58
Count:87
Works Cited
- CK
- Okrand, Marc. (1992). Conversational Klingon (audio cassette). New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 5-022-73903-6391
- FFN
- Festival of the Spoken Nerd (2015). Full Frontal Nerdity DVD. Laughing Stock. ISBN: 0-671-79739-5
- Hamletmachine
- Translation by Lieven Litaer of Heiner Müller's 1977 play Die Hamletmaschine. (link)
- HolQeD
- (1992 to present). The quarterly journal of the Klingon Language Institute. Assorted interviews with and articles by Marc Okrand. ISSN: 1061-2327
- KCD
- Okrand, Marc. (1992). Star Trek: Klingon, CD-ROM. New York: Simon & Schuster Interactive. ISBN: 0-671-52873-4
- Monopoly
- (2011). MONOPOLY® – Star Trek Klingon Limited Edition, board game. USAopoly/Hasbro.
- OZ
- 'aS 'IDnar pIn'a' Dun, Jackson Bradley's translation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
- PCHC
- Chase Masterson (2016). Pop Culture Hero Coalition message. Facebook. (link)
- PK
- Levine, Barry & Okrand, Marc. (1993). Power Klingon: Master the Language of Warriors (audio cassette). New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0-671-87975-8
- qepHom
- An annual meeting of Klingonists in Germany. The first such qepHom took place in 2002. (The word can refer to any minor gathering, but this list uses it exclusively for the organized German meeting.)
- qep'a'
- The annual conference of the Klingon Language Institute. Marc Okrand is often in attendance. qep'a' wa'DIch was held in 1994. (The word can refer to any convention or conference, but this list uses it exclusively for the KLI's annual meeting.)
- TKD
- Okrand, Marc. (1985 & 1992). The Klingon Dictionary, 2nd ed. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0-671-74559-X
- TKW
- Okrand, Marc. (1996). Star Trek: The Klingon Way: A Warrior's Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0-671-53755-5
- TN!LK
- (2011). Talk Now! Learn Klingon. EuroTalk, Ltd. ISBN: 1-846-06606-9
- veS QonoS
- (1990). Newsletter of Mortas-Te-Kaase, a defunct Klingon club. Some new words from Marc Okrand appeared, and a subset of these were later used in CK. The entire list was reprinted by permission of both Okrand and the club in HolQeD 1:3.