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A Vulcan word meaning "friend, brother, and/or lover". First used in the novelisation of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the word was created by Gene Roddenberry to describe the relationship between Captain Kirk and Spock. An excerpt from the novel says "Editor’s note: The human concept of friend is most nearly duplicated in Vulcan thought by the term t’hy’la, which can also mean brother and lover." T'hy'la is popularly used in Kirk/Spock slash stories, where "soul-mate" and "life-long companion" are often accepted within fanon as additional definitions of T'hy'la.
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