<p>[Update from 2022]</p>
<p>Turns out the word was (semi-officially?) added to the lexicon a few months after the question and @Richard's answer - at <strong>qepHom</strong> 2019 (an annual meeting of Klingonists in Germany).</p>
<h2>The word for &quot;skull&quot; is <code>DughrI'</code></h2>
<p>(Added on 11/17/2019)</p>
<p>See kli.com <a href="https://www.kli.org/about-klingon/new-klingon-words/datemodified/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">New Klingon Words (not in the original lexicon)</a> page as citation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-10T10:10:08.603Z
2022-03-10T10:10:08.603Z
G0BLiN
<p>Indeed, there doesn't seem to be any canon word for "skull" in Klingon, so a compound should be fine.  </p>

<p>Note, however, that some compounds are constructed without separation between their parts (see for example <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Klingon_compound_words" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wiktionary's list of Klingon compound words</a>) with no apparent rule as to why, so "skull" could conceivably be <code>nachHom</code>.  </p>

<p>BUT, since <code>-Hom</code> is also the diminutive suffix, <code>nachHom</code> would primarily mean "little skull", making <code>nach Hom</code> is the less ambiguous translation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-15T09:01:49.273Z
Thanks for the reference to wikitionary "words by etymology" - never thought there's such a resource. I think that since there's a diminutive suffix '-Hom', 'nachHom' would be read as "smallhead" rather than "skull"
G0BLiN
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-16T10:44:00.733Z
@G0BLiN I definitely should have checked that before answering. In this case, 'nach Hom' is better, I think.
Cecilia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-23T11:57:55.790Z
Richard - maybe edit your answer to reflect on why `nachHom` may not be suitable in this case? Comments aren't permanent, but this insight is relevant to the answer.
G0BLiN
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-09-13T22:27:14.977Z
2019-09-25T11:38:58.270Z
2019-09-25T11:38:58.270Z
Cecilia
<p>Exactly what it says on the can - I'm looking for a word in <code>tlhingan-Hol</code> (Klingon) for "skull".</p>

<p>Fallback: In case there isn't a canon word, I'm defaulting to using "head bone" as a replacement. I know from TKD that <code>nach</code> is "head" and <code>Hom</code> is "bone". Is this combination <code>nach Hom</code> correct? e.g. is <code>jaghpu'ma' nach HomDu'</code> a reasonable translation for "our enemies' skulls"?</p>

<translation><klingon>
Is there a word for "skull" in Klingon?
# Is there a word for "skull" in Klingon?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-09-13)

Exactly what it says on the can - I'm looking for a word in `tlhingan-Hol` (Klingon) for "skull".

Fallback: In case there isn't a canon word, I'm defaulting to using "head bone" as a replacement. I know from TKD that `nach` is "head" and `Hom` is "bone". Is this combination `nach Hom` correct? e.g. is `jaghpu'ma' nach HomDu'` a reasonable translation for "our enemies' skulls"?

**Tags:** translation, klingon

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2022-03-10. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

[Update from 2022]

Turns out the word was (semi-officially?) added to the lexicon a few months after the question and @Richard's answer - at **qepHom** 2019 (an annual meeting of Klingonists in Germany).

## The word for "skull" is `DughrI'`

(Added on 11/17/2019)

See kli.com [New Klingon Words (not in the original lexicon)](https://www.kli.org/about-klingon/new-klingon-words/datemodified/) page as citation.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-09-13. Score: 3

Indeed, there doesn't seem to be any canon word for "skull" in Klingon, so a compound should be fine.

Note, however, that some compounds are constructed without separation between their parts (see for example [Wiktionary's list of Klingon compound words](https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Klingon_compound_words)) with no apparent rule as to why, so "skull" could conceivably be `nachHom`.

BUT, since `-Hom` is also the diminutive suffix, `nachHom` would primarily mean "little skull", making `nach Hom` is the less ambiguous translation.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the reference to wikitionary "words by etymology" - never thought there's such a resource. I think that since there's a diminutive suffix '-Hom', 'nachHom' would be read as "smallhead" rather than "skull"  
> **username_1**: @G0BLiN I definitely should have checked that before answering. In this case, 'nach Hom' is better, I think.  
> **username_0**: Richard - maybe edit your answer to reflect on why `nachHom` may not be suitable in this case? Comments aren't permanent, but this insight is relevant to the answer.  

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