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
pab buv
n
part of speech
Feb 2018 email to De'vID
pach
n
claw, talon
HolQeD v10n4p5
paH
n
dress
TN!LK
paH bID
n
skirt
TN!LK
pan
v
spark, emit sparks [qep'a' wa'maH chorghDIch]
paq'batlh
paq Duj
n
bookmobile
qepHom 15
paq nojwI'
n
librarian
qepHom 15
paq nojwI' qach
n
library (building)
qepHom 15
paq nojwI' tum
n
library (public)
qepHom 15
paQ
v
meditate, cogitate, reflect [Maltz says that this word does not connote "entreat", so "pray" may not be an appropriate translation. paQ can (but does not have to) take an object indicating what is being meditated about or reflected upon. So maybe better translations are "meditate on, cogitate about, reflect on, contemplate..."]
qep'a' 24
paQjen
n
sequin, spangle [From chabal tetlh: "small flat piece of sparkling metallic or metal-like material with a hole which is sewn onto a garment etc. for decoration".
There is also a slang version: HovHom.] [Request]
qep'a' 31
parbIng
n
a mid-sized bird with particularly garish coloring (at least from a Klingon point of view)
HolQeD v10n4p4
pargh
v
be synthetic, artificial
qepHom 2017
parIy
N
Paris
January 2020 email to DeSDu'
paSjav
n
cinnamon-like Klingon plant [A paSjav is a Klingon tree whose bark is cut into strips and eaten along with certain foods or else is ground up (like ngat) and added to some other kinds of foods. (It's occasionally just ripped off of the tree and eaten then and there.) Non-Klingons who eat too much paSjav tend to start coughing. Klingons think this is pretty funny and never seem to tire of it. tera' paSjav is a way to refer to cinnamon.]
qep'a' 26
paSlogh tuQ DaS
v
be inside-out [Maltz thought there might be a single word for this, but he could only remember this commonly used idiom. In usage, this might be preceded by something like ghIH wep (or Soy' wep) "the shirt is sloppy/disheveled".] [Request]
qep'a' 28
paSta'
n
Terran pasta, noodles, spaghetti [This is a Terran thing (or things), so they borrowed the word.]
qepHom 2020
patat 'oQqar
n
potato
TN!LK
patmor
n
emerald
OZ
patlh
v
be ranked, have a status, be graded
Marc Okrand email to Lieven January 2018
patlh
n
order (as in alphabetical order)
qepHom 2024
patlhmoH
v
rank, assign status, compare, sort ["When used with the 'compare' meaning, of course, the object of the verb is always plural. The implication that two (or more) things are ranked or sorted, they're ranked in comparison to one another"]
Marc Okrand email to Lieven January 2018
paw'aD
n
vein
qepHom 2015 p.14
pay
n
sound of letter p [alphabet]
qep'a' 16
pay'an
n
particle
qep'a' 23
pay'rIn
n
excavation, dug-up ruins
qepHom 2019
pay'tlhan ghargh
n
python [loanword]
qepHom 2024
pa'
n
chamber [add to existing defs]
BoP Poster
pa' beb
n
ceiling of top story room
NEWS, HolQeD v8n3p2
pa' reD
n
interior face of exterior wall
NEWS
pa'beb De'lor
n
stalactite
qepHom 2019
pa'logh
n
the past (as a whole)
qep'a' 23
pa'raghway
N
Paraguay
qep'a' 26
pa'vo
N
Pahvo (planet) [Discovery]
qepHom 2019
peD
v
snow, fall slowly (like snow) [When you cut your bread and the crumbs fall out (like snow), you use the verb peD. It can also be used for instance, when you throw confetti, and the confetti falls down, then use peD. So, with other words, peD still means to snow, but it does not only refer to snow, but can also be used for other small things falling down slowly or rain down, like ashes.]
TKD, qepHom 2017
pegh
v
be secret
CK & PK
peghmey vIttlhegh
n
secrecy proverb
HolQeD v5n1p10
pel'aQ
n
coffin [also the shell of an egg]
qep'a' 24
pep'en
n
current [in air or water]
qep'a' 25
peq
v
slaughter (connotes intention, targeting specific victims) [STID]
qepHom 12
peQnagh
n
magnet
qepHom 15
per
v
label / ascertain, specify
TKD / NEWS group online
per naH
n
pear
TN!LK
peS
v
supply, furnish, provide, dispense [in the sense of "hand out, give out, distribute"]
Netflix press release
pet
v
be welded (together)
qepHom 15
petaQ
excl
epithet
TKD p178
petben
n
thump, thud [This noun refers to the sound. It is often used as the object of the verb tlhen.] [Request]
qep'a' 30
petqaD
n
bone-mender (medical device)
Haynes BOP Manual, p.107
pe'bIl
n
lightning
qepHom 15
pe'meH 'echlet
n
cutting board
qepHom 2015 p.19
pe'ru'
N
Peru
qep'a' 26
pID
v
slang for laS (ink up, put paint on a brush)
qepHom 2015 p.19
pIlam naH
n
plum
TN!LK
pIlghIm
n
mast, flagpole
qep'a' 25
pIn tlhoy'
n
territorial wall (e.g. Berlin Wall)
NEWS
pIpyuS
n
pipius [whose claws are used as food, requiring breaking]
Addendum of TKD, TKW p185
pIq
n
time period from now (future)
HolQeD v8n3p3
pIqcho' chojmoHwI'
n
trainer (a fitness trainer)
qepHom 2024
pIqcho' waq
n
sneaker, tennis shoe, (UK) trainer
qepHom 2024
pIQ
v
be direct [Marc Okrand email 2012-01-02]
qepHom
pIQHa'
v
be indirect, roundabout, devious [Marc Okrand email 2012-01-02]
qepHom
pIra'Ha
N
Prague
qep'a' 26
pIrmuS
n
bottom (exterior)
HolQeD v8n3p2
pItSa' chab
n
pizza
TN!LK
pItlh
excl
done [all done, all finished - a common exclamation uttered upon the completion of a project.]
KCD
pItlhbergh
n
Pittsburgh (US)
qepHom 15
pIvchem
n
warp field
BoP Poster
pIvlob
n
warp factor
This was omitted from the English-Klingon listing of TKD
pIwSIp
n
ammonia [From chabal tetlh: "naturally common and widely used but pungent-smelling, caustic and hazardous colorless gas, formula NH3".
This is the gas, not the liquid used for cleaning.] [Request]
qep'a' 31
pI'
v
be bold [typeface]
Feb 2018 email to De'vID
pI'
v
be fat [no implication of obesity]
qepHom 2019
po Ha'DIbaH
n
literary name for 'uSgheb or jajlo' Qa', commonly used in operas and plays, but rarely in everyday speech [Maltz guesses this term can also refer to jajlo' Qa' as well]
HolQeD v10n4p5
pob
n
hair in animal fur [extended meaning]
QelIS boqHarmey
poDmoH
v
clip
This entry was omitted from the Klingon-English side of TKD
pol
v
save, store [Can be used to express the storing of information, also "learn/know from heart".]
qepHom 2021
pomtut
n
battering ram
qepHom 2020
pop
n
honor, reward, token of esteem [formal recognition of an accomplishment or accomplishments]
HolQeD, v12n3p9
por
n
heart (card suit) [DYM]
qepHom 13
por Ho'Du'
n
rake (for leaves)
qepHom 2023
porghQeD
n
scientific study of bodily functions [Klingons don't talk all that much about bodily functions as a group, but they certainly do talk about specific bodily functions.]
HolQeD, v12n4p8
porghQeD
n
physiology
qepHom 2024
portughal
N
Portugal
TN!LK
povjaj
n
Tuesday
qepHom 12
poymar
n
mystery [a real "mystery", something that confounds people]
qep'a' 25
po'lISqa'
n
Poland
qepHom 15
po'oH
n
corner of the street, corner of a piece of paper
qep'a' 24
puH beQ
n
plains, flatlands
qep'a' 24
puH Duj
n
car, automobile
TN!LK
puH nIl
n
grassland, steppe
qep'a' 24
puH yIQ
n
swamp, wetlands
qep'a' 24
puHley'
n
cape, point [This is a geographical term.]
qep'a' 26
pujmoH
v
weaken
This was omitted from the English-Klingon listing of TKD
pujwI'
n
weakling
This was omitted from the English-Klingon listing of TKD, TKW p24
pul
v
be ground up
qep'a' 23
pumnuj
n
handcuffs, manacles
qep'a' 26
pun
v
be low (in pitch) [as in deep voice [can also be used in music to talk about high and low tones]]
qepHom 17
pup
v
be high resolution [added to existing defs]
BoP Poster
pupHa'
v
be approximate [If it's necessary to hedge one's bets adverbially, chaq "perhaps" and ghaytan "likely" are acceptable.]
qepHom 2020
puq chonnaQ
n
fork
From Marc Okrand on startrek.klingon (Usenet newsgroup)
puq lut
n
fairy tale
OZ
puq lut rorgh
n
fairy tale
OZ
puqnI'
n
grandchild
HolQeD v9n3p9
puqnI'be'
n
granddaughter
HolQeD v9n3p9
puqnI'loD
n
grandson
HolQeD v9n3p9
pur
v
inhale
HolQeD, v12n4p8
pu'
n
horn (of an animal) [To distinguish from a spike, one can say Ha'DIbaH pu' or something similar.]
ta'puq mach
pu'jIn
n
map
qep'a' 14
pu'vengmey
n
cat whiskers, insect antennae [This is just the plural of pu'veng-mey.] [Request]
QelIS boqHarmey
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.