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
bachghIng
n
tension (physics)
qepHom 2024
bachHa'
v
err, make a mistake (slang) [listed as (n) in Klingon-English side likely an intentional mistake), but (v) in English-Klingon side and in body text.]
KGT
baghHa'
v
decrypt, break, crack (a code) [without permission, by unauthorized means]
qepHom 13
baghneQ
n
spoon
startrek.klingon
baHjan
n
launcher
BoP Poster
balgharya'
N
Bulgaria
qep'a' 26
bam
v
face, have the prospect of having to deal with [STID]
qepHom 12
bambu'
n
bamboo
qep'a' 25
ban
v
be bruised
qep'a' 25
banan naH
n
banana
TN!LK
banmoH
v
bruise
qep'a' 25
baQa'
excl
general invective
TKD p178
baQa'
excl
boo! hiss! [Often preceded or followed by general grumbling and growling; sometimes just grumbling and growling alone.] [Request]
qep'a' 26
baQpel
n
pull-up [This exercise (or maneuver) is used with the verb mI'. A variant form of the choQpel. In the baQpel, the first up-down movement is with one arm only, the second is with the other arm only, the third is with the firstarm only, and so on. As with the more basic choQpel, there are chap and toch versions.] [Request]
qep'a' 30
bar
v
blink, flash [as in lighting up briefly or repeatedly]
qep'a' 25
barat
N
India
TN!LK
bargh Soj
n
casserole [There are not many traditional ways of preparing hot Klingon food. Maltz thought that a casserole could be termed simply bargh Soj (bargh food) since a bargh its most likely the type of pot to be used.] [Request]
qep'a' 30
bartIq
n
branch (of a tree)
qepHom 15
bartIq waq
n
ski ["to ski" is wuHmeH bartIq waq lo'.]
qepHom 2024
baS Ha'on
n
staple
qepHom 2015 p.18
baS laSvargh
n
foundry
qepHom 15
baS SIrgh
n
wire
qepHom 15
baStan
N
Boston
January 2020 email to DeSDu'
batlh
n
honor [general, philosophical concept, associated with integrity]
HolQeD, v12n3p9
bav
n
circumference
qep'a' 27
baw'
v
be comfortable, be feeling prepared, be confident [as in being comfortable going on a journey or comfortable about an upcoming battle]
qep'a' 24
baw'Ha'
v
be uncomfortable, be worried, be hesitant [as in being uncomfortable going on a journey or uncomfortable about an upcoming battle]
qep'a' 24
bay
n
sound of letter b [alphabet ]
qep'a' 16
baylaD
n
slice [the chunk cut off as the result of quH]
qep'a' 25
ba'qIn
n
saddle [This refers to the seat strapped to the back of an animal]
qep'a' 26
ba'Suq
n
bubble
qepHom 2017
ba'Suq SIp
n
carbon dioxide (slang)
qepHom 2024
beb
n
roof
NEWS
beb mutlhwI'
n
roofer [Marc Okrand email 2012-01-09 ]
qepHom
bel Qu'
n
hobby [literally "pleasure task"]
qep'a' 25
belghIya'
n
Belgium
qepHom 15
beng
v
addicted, be addicted (to) [From chabal tetlh: "to be physically and/or mentally dependent on a certain substance and/or stimulus, e.g. alcohol, drugs, smoking; different from being "dependent on medicine" that keeps one's health from deteriorating".
The object is the substance to which one is addicted.] [Request]
qep'a' 31
berlIn
N
Berlin
qep'a' 26
bertlham
n
end (of an opera, play, story, speech) [This refers to the final section of such a performance (last act, scene, sentence, etc.)]
HolQeD v12n2p8
bertlham taymey
n
epilogue
qepHom 2020
bertlham 'echlet
n
back cover (of book)
qepHom 2021
beS
v
scald [From chabal tetlh: "injure or damage with hot liquid".
This is not a cooking term.] [Request]
qep'a' 31
betgham
n
liquid (state of matter)
qep'a' 23
betleH bey'
n
Bat'telh display
KCD
bewbeb
n
baobab [loanword]
ta'puq mach
bewSom
n
mixture of brewing ingredients [ bewSom is the mixture of ingredients that, after a bit of time, produces fermented HIq.]
qepHom 2020
bewSom pa'
n
brewery [room] [Maltz thought that maybe this was shortened from something like bewSom roghmeH qegh pa "vat for fermenting bewSom room" or " bewSom fermenting vat room", but he wasn't sure about that.]
qepHom 2020
bewSom qach
n
brewery [building] [A ?brewery? is bewSom pa' or bewSom qach (parallel to ?distillery?)]
qepHom 2020
beylI'
n
bank
TN!LK
be'etor
proper n
B'Etor - one of the DuraS sisters
HolQeD v5n3p15 - S26
be'joy'
n
ritualized torture by women
Sarek
bIp'uy'
num
100 billion [as a number-forming element, it is preceded by a digit 1-9] [Request]
qep'a' 27
bIQ
n
water [water is used as the symbol of weakness and disdain.]
TKW p34-35
bIQ beb
n
surface of water [literally "water roof"]
qep'a' 25
bIQ Duj
n
boat
TN!LK
bIQ ghItmoHwI'
n
fountain
qepHom 15
bIQ notron
n
waterfall
January 2020 email to DeSDu'
bIQSIp
n
hydrogen
BoP Poster
bIQSIp 'ugh
n
deuterium isotope
BoP Poster
bIQyIn
n
cookie sandwich (two chabHommey stuck together)
qepHom 2015 p.12
bIQ'a'
n
sea [extended meaning of previously only "ocean"]
qepHom 2023
bIQ'a' qIj
n
Black Sea
qepHom 2023
bIQ'a' Sargh
n
seahorse [loanword]
qepHom 2024
bIraSIw
n
Brazil
qepHom 15
bIreQtagh
n
bregit lung [food item shown and described on KCD.]
Addendum of TKD
bIrI'tIS qolambIya
n
British Columbia
qepHom 17
bIroqlIy majaj
n
broccoli
qepHom 2023
bIS'ub
n
bottom (interior)
HolQeD v8n3p2
bItlh
v
adapt to, get used to, acclimatize to, conform to, become adjusted to
qep'a' 25
bI'rel tlharghDuj
n
B'rel-class Scout
BoP Poster
bI'reS
n
beginning (of an opera, play, story, speech) [This refers to the opening section of such a performance (last act, scene, sentence, etc.)]
HolQeD v12n2p8
bI'reS taymey
n
prologue
qepHom 2020
bI'reS 'echlet
n
front cover (of book)
qepHom 2021
bo
n
feather
HolQeD v10n4p5
bobDar
n
splash [Use with tlhen "sound as, produce the sound of" (e.g., bobDar thlen "(it) produces a splash sound")] [Request]
qep'a' 28
bon
v
share with [B-vaD C bon A: A shares C with B]
qepHom 15
bop
n
be about, be concerned with [Got this from http://www.livejournal.com/community/klingon/ entry August 1, 2005 by ubykhlives. Example: {HolQeD bopbe' paqvam} = "This book is not about linguistics."]
qep'a' 12
boq
n
alliance / bloc, coalition / fusion
TKD / KGT / BoP poster
boq Hol
n
pidgin, creole, contact language [The two terms are used interchangeably.] [Request]
qep'a' 28
boq
v
ally with, form an alliance with, used in math for addition [used in math: boq for addition, boqHa' for subtraction, X-logh boq'egh Y for multiplication, X-logh boqHa''egh Y for division. See chen.]
TKD / KGT / BoP poster/HolQeD v9n3p10
boqHar
n
miracle, wonder [you can say qaStaH boqHarmey!]
qepHom 17
boqHa'
v
used in math for subtraction [used in math: boqHa' for subtraction]
HolQeD v9n3p10
boqHa''egh
v
used in math for division [used in math: X-logh boqHa''egh Y for division. See chen.]
TKD / KGT / BoP poster/HolQeD v9n3p10
boq'egh
v
used in math for multiplication [used in math: X-logh boq'egh Y for multiplication]
HolQeD v9n3p10
boQ Hol
n
pidgin, creole, contact language [The two terms are used interchangeably.] [Request]
qep'a' 28
bor
v
gurgle [This specifically refers to the sound that a stomach makes.]
HolQeD, v12n4p8
borghel
n
a very small bird whose eggs are considered quite tasty
HolQeD v10n4p4
borqu'
v
thunder [slang]
qep'a' 24
boSporoS
N
Bosporus
January 2020 email to DeSDu'
bot
v
insulate [the verb refers to make a kind of barrier, as in heat insulation, also electric insulator.]
qepHom 2024
botlh
n
median [of a group of numbers]
qep'a' 26
bo'Degh
n
bird, the most general word for a bird-like creature
HolQeD v10n4p4
bo'DIj nompuq
n
forensic evidence [literally "court evidence"]
qep'a' 25
bo'ghey
n
slope (of a mountain)
qep'a' 25
bo'voD
n
drawer
qep'a' 23
bulvar
n
monk [gender-neutral; works like maqlegh]
qep'a' 26
buq
n
bag, sack, pouch, pocket [Marc Okrand email 2010-11-15 ]
qepHom 9
buq Quj
n
basketball
qepHom 2024
buq yopwaH
n
cargo pants
qepHom 2024
buq yopwaH bID
n
cargo shorts
qepHom 2024
buqjaj
n
Friday
qepHom 12
buq'ach
n
trombone-like Klingon instrument [A terran trombone would be a tera' buq'ach.]
qepHom 2020
buq'Ir
n
cube [Marc Okrand email 2014-01-27 ]
qepHom 12
bur
v
hiccup
HolQeD, v12n4p8
burrI'to
n
burrito
qepHom 2023
buSHach
n
thought, notion [an individual thought, something thought of or about, something conceived of, a mental object/construct]
2019 email to pagh
but
v
be natural
qepHom 2017
butlh
n
dirt under fingernails; symbolic equivalent of gall, an admirable trait to have
TKD; TKW p142
Count:128
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.