[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: tlhay (verb)

[Steven Boozer]

(qep'a' 2017 New Words p.11):Klingon Word of the Day for Monday, January 05, 2026

Klingon word: tlhay
Part of speech: verb
Definition: embalm
Source: qepHom 2020
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(qepHom 2020):  refers to infusing a dead body with some sort of fluid to preserve it (and thereby create a {jItuj'ep} "mummy")

(Lieven, 1/02/2018):  I just rewatched episode 2 of Discovery, and indeed, T'kuvma explained why they recovered their dead warriors: He explains that when a warrior dies while sleeping, he is just flesh and bones, but a warrior who dies in battle deserves his final honorable treatment.

SEE:
choq 		preserve, save (v)
pol 		keep, save, store (v)

SEE ALSO:
lom 		corpse (n)
Heghpu'wI' 	dead (person) (n)

pel'aQ 		coffin (n)
nebeylI' 	sarcophagus (n)
nev'aQ 		sarcophagus (n)

(qep'a' 2017 New Words p.11):  [{nebeylI'} is] associated with ritual and honor and all that. It's much more than just a repository (and presumably it's fancier looking). Maltz said that at some point in the past, Klingons stopped using them (though they didn't necessarily destroy ones already there). He wasn't sure if they were used in one form or another for everyone or only for certain, presumably high-ranking, people. He also said something about using these words {(nev'aQ} more frequently) for sort of flying coffins/sarcophagi in space? (He wasn't all that clear about this.)

TREK TRIVIA:
"Klingons are not supposed to mind hardship. Nonetheless, I am delighted to be out of that damned coffin."  [K'Ehleyr, TNG "The Emissary" referring to the high warp-capable Class 8 probe she travelled in]

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons