Vulcan greeting

The Vulcan greeting is a fictional tradition observed in the Star Trek television and film franchise. It was first used in the season one episode of the original series, "Journey to Babel". As a custom observed by members of the Vulcan race, the greeting has been imitated many times over throughout the various Star Trek spin-off projects.

The Vulcan greeting is a hand gesture wherein the greeter holds up their right hand, palm facing outward with their fingers splayed between the second and third fingers to form the letter V. The greeting is often accompanied by the phrase "Live long and prosper".

In 2268 on Stardate: 3842.3, the half-Vulcan Mister Spock attempted to demonstrate the greeting to the human Doctor Leonard McCoy, although Doctor McCoy seemed to have difficulty performing the gesture correctly.

The gesture may also be used as a salutation as well as a greeting. In 2285, a dying Spock gave the Vulcan salute to James T. Kirk while quarantined inside of a chamber filled with deadly radiation. He held his hand up to the glass and Kirk imitated the greeting from the other side. Spock's last words to Kirk at that moment were, "You have been and always will be... my friend, Jim".

In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Ambassador Sarek greeted Admiral Kirk with the salute when he came to inquire about Spock's death.