Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Klingon” come from?

Klingon (English) comes from German klingen, from Middle High German klingen, from Old High German klingan, from Proto-Germanic klinganą, from Proto-Indo-European glengʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European gal- — to call, cry; to sound; to roop, scream, shout.

Klingon (English): Member of a fictional alien warrior race depicted...

Definitions

  1. Member of a fictional alien warrior race depicted...

Ancestry of “Klingon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanklingento ring; to clink; to sound
2Middle High Germanklingento sound
3Old High Germanklingan—
4Proto-Germanicklinganąto sound; to adhere to, cling to
5Proto-Indo-Europeanglengʰ-sound
6Proto-Indo-Europeangal-to call, cry; to sound; to roop, scream, shout

Words derived from “Klingon”

  • Klingonese
  • Klingonist
  • klingono
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gal- →