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
wab
n
sound, noise
NEWS
wab choHwI'
n
synthesizer
qepHom 2023
wab HevwI'
n
radio
TN!LK
wab labwI'
n
radio transmitter [This is used for broadcaster, radio service, etc. It can also be used for the device that does the transmitting. If a distinction must be made, the device is wab labwI' jan.]
qep'a' 24
wab qoSta' 'aplo'
n
cassette, audiotape
TN!LK
wabDo
n
Mach [As a spelling convention, wab Do speed of sound is written as two words. When used as a measurement term ("Mach"), it's written as one word (wabDo). The pronunciation (and, for that matter, meaning) is the same.]
qepHom 15
wal
v
vibrate, be in a state of vibration [move in a fast repetitive way, like a guitar string]
qep'a' 24
wan
v
be straight [Marc Okrand email 2012-01-15]
qepHom
wanHa'
v
be crooked, bent [Marc Okrand email 2012-01-15]
qepHom
wanI'
n
effect [e.g. Herghqoq wanI' placebo effect]
qepHom 15
waqboch
n
a bird with a very long beak
HolQeD v10n4p5
waQ
n
months from now
HolQeD v8n3p3
war
n
column (in a table or spreadsheet)
qepHom 2015 p.21
waS
v
be wrong, awry
qepHom 15
watrIn
n
lubricant (general)
OZ
watlhmoH
v
smelt [From chabal tetlh: "extract metal from its ore via heating and melting".
The object is the ore.] [Request]
qep'a' 31
way
n
sound of letter w [alphabet]
qep'a' 16
way
v
be striped
qep'a' 24
way'ar
n
chaos
qepHom 2019
wa' rutlh qam Do Duj
n
unicycle
qepHom 15
wa'chaw
n
spreadsheet, table
qepHom 2015 p.21
wa'lay
n
mass [Concept in physics (distinct from "weight")]
qep'a' 26
wa'lay HoS nger
n
theory of relativity [If referring to Einstein's theories, add le' or naQ for "special" and "general," respectively,]
qepHom 2024
wa'ngoQ
n
manganese
qepHom 2021
wa'SIngtanDIySIy
N
Washington, DC [in normal, day-to-day Klingon conversation, the DIySIy is never left off]
January 2020 email to DeSDu'
web
v
be chaotic, disorganized [slang]
qepHom 2019
wejbe'
n
nitrate [NO3, chemistry term]
qepHom 2019
wejHa'
adv
already [Means something along the lines of "before/as of now" but can refer to any time established by context.] [Request]
qepHom 2020
wejwa'
n
flavor, taste [Marc Okrand email 2012-01-02]
qepHom
wel
v
owe (someone)
qep'a' 18
welwelwel
excl
sound made by a stereotypic targh [The number of times this syllable is repeated is variable. This is an imitative word and there are variations. And not everyone uses it in the first place.]
qep'a' 24
wen
n
months ago
HolQeD v8n3p3
wep
n
blouse
qepHom 2024
weQmoQnaQ
n
World Wide Web
qepHom 11
wer
v
be creased, be wrinkled
qep'a' 24
wermoH
v
crease, wrinkle
qep'a' 24
weS
v
lose, no longer have, suffer a reduction of
qepHom 2017
weSjech ba'Suq Duj
n
hot air balloon
OZ
weSjech
n
fabric, cloth, textile [This can be used for textiles or fabric in clothing, sheets, towels, and so on, but generally not for carpets or rugs (except for thin ones).] [Request]
qep'a' 26
wev
n
row (in a table or spreadsheet)
qepHom 2015 p.21
wev
v
draw, make a drawing of
ta'puq mach
wevpev
n
wheat
qepHom 2023
wevpev HIq
n
[wheat-based liquor] [This was left untranslated. It "would be okay" to use that phrase to refer to any wheat-based liquor, but doesn't mean it's the only name for it. Otherwise "wheat liquor" would also work.]
qepHom 2023
wevpev wornagh
n
wheat beer [a German type of beer, like Weizenbier, Wei?bier]
qepHom 2023
wID
v
massacre (connotes indiscriminate killing) [STID]
qepHom 12
wIjwI' ngeb
n
scarecrow [notqa' ghIjmeH raghghan describes what a scarecrow is/does. But that's a long phrase for something that will probably come up about a thousand times in the story. The Klingon equivalent is probably wIjwI' ngeb, but Maltz says they don't use such things very much anymore. He did point out that this is a set expression. That is, a wIjwI' ngeb is not a real person posing as a farmer; everyone knows it's a mannequin-like thing.
]
OZ
wIl
n
spike [Marc Okrand email to Qov August 2012]
misc
wIl
v
be short [The real opposite of tIq is wIl, so a short stick is naQ wIj.]
qepHom 2023
wIlHay
n
hinge; spine (of book) [spine of a book]
qepHom 2021
wIlpuq
n
pudding [like butterscotch?]
qep'a' 15
wIyqap
n
row or line (of people or things not expected to be in motion)
OZ
wI'qIypI'DIya
proper n
Wikipedia
qepHom 2023
woch
v
be tall [Star Mitzvah reward: comparison]
HolQeD v13n1p9
wogh
v
transgress, do more than is acceptable [{bIwogh} might be translated "You go too far."]
HolQeD, v12n3p9
wol
v
be creased, be folded
qep'a' 24
wolmoH
v
crease, fold
qep'a' 24
wom
v
peck [used for both eating and attacking by pecking]
HolQeD v10n4p5
won
v
hesitate
qep'a' 31
won jat
v
stutter, stammer [From chabal tetlh: "speak with a spasmodic repetition of vocal sounds".] [Request]
qep'a' 31
wonmugh
n
alley
qepHom 2019
woq
v
confirm, substantiate, corroborate
qepHom 2017
woSwa'
n
type of animal, armadillo [This is a Klingon animal that rolls into a ball when in danger.]
QelIS boqHarmey
woSwa' ghew
n
rolling bug
QelIS boqHarmey
wot chuS
n
non-stative verb
qep'a' 29
wot nungwI'
n
preverb
qep'a' 29
wot tam
n
stative verb
qep'a' 29
wovmoHwI'
n
light (lamp)
BoP Poster
wovmoHwI' moQ
n
light bulb
TN!LK
wov'on
n
memory ["...specific memories or recollections."]
Marc Okrand email to Lieven January 2018
wo'rIv
proper n
Worf
HolQeD v4n3p4
wuD
v
snore [Breathe more noisily than {jev}.]
HolQeD, v12n4p8
wun
v
be unprotected, vulnerable
Monopoly
wuqwI'
n
juror [A jury is not a Klingon concept, but Maltz thought that wuqwI' would get the meaning across.] [Request]
QelIS boqHarmey
wuqwI' ghom
n
jury [A jury is not a Klingon concept, but Maltz thought that wuqwI' ghom or bo'DIj wuqwI' ghom would get the meaning across.]
QelIS boqHarmey
wuS
n
spout [This is a noun, referring to the nozzle on a teapot, for example.
A slang term (pluralised by adding -Du'), literally lip(s) the choice of wuS vs. vatwam depends on the shape of the spout.] [Request]
qep'a' 30
wuS rItlh naQ
n
lipstick
TN!LK
wutlh pa'
n
dungeon ["A Klingon way to say 'dungeon'...literally 'underground room.'" Presumably other ways to say it would focus on purpose or other attributes, rather than location.]
8 January email to Jaymz Smith
wuvchuq
v
be entangled (quantum physics, but maybe more general) [The subject of the verb could be, for example, pay'an "particle".] [Request]
qep'a' 28
Count:92
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.