zombie

See also: Zombie

English

Alternative forms

• zombi
• zomby (rare)
• zumbi (uncommon)

Etymology

First attested in 1871. From a Bantu language. Compare Kongo nzambi (“god”), zumbi (“fetish”), and Kimbundu nzumbi (“ghost”) (see Portuguese zumbi), and Caribbean folklore's jumbee (“a spirit or demon”). Origin from Spanish sombra (“shadow, phantom”) has also been suggested. May have come through Louisiana Creole [Term?]. See also French zombi (1832).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈzɒmbi/
• (General American) enPR: zŏmʹbē, IPA^(key): /ˈzɑmbi/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒmbi
• Hyphenation: zom‧bie

Noun

zombie (plural zombies)

1. (voodoo, horror) A person, usually undead, animated by unnatural forces (such as magic), with no soul or will of his or her own.

   Synonyms: deadhead, ghoul, living dead, walker, (slang) walking dead, zed

   • 1943, Curt Siodmak, Ardel Wray, I Walked with a Zombie (motion picture):

     Betsy Connell: I don't know about zombies, doctor. Just what is a zombie? / Dr. Maxwell: A ghost. A living dead. It's also a drink.

   • 1962, “Monster Mash”, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Lenny Capizzi (lyrics), performed by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers:

     The zombies were having fun
     The party had just begun
     The guests included Wolf-Man, Dracula, and his son.

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: SSV Normandy:

     Ashley: Dad passed on a few years back. He's probably still watching, though.
     Shepard: He's not a zombie, is he?

   • 2017 February 23, Katie Rife, “The Girl With All The Gifts tries to put a fresh spin on overripe zombie clichés”, in The Onion AV Club‎^[1]:

     The zombies first show up 20 minutes in, after Melanie volunteers herself as the next child to mysteriously disappear in the middle of the night. That’s when we learn that Melanie and her classmates are all “hungries,” or people infected with a toxic fungus that turns them into mindless flesh-eating animals.

2. (figuratively) An apathetic or slow-witted person. [1936]
3. (figuratively) A human being in a state of extreme mental exhaustion.

   After working for 18 hours on the computer, I was a zombie.

4. An information worker who has signed a nondisclosure agreement.

   Synonym: intellectual prostitute

5. (computing) A process or task which has terminated but has not been removed from the list of processes, typically because it has an unresponsive parent process.
   • 1986, Maurice J. Bach, The Design of the Unix Operating System, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA, See "Process States and Transitions," p. 147.

     9. The process executed the exit system call and is in the zombie state. The process no longer exists, but it leaves a record containing an exit code and some timing statistics for its parent process to collect. The zombie state is the final state of a process.

6. (computing) A computer affected by malware which causes it to do whatever the attacker wants it to do without the user's knowledge.
7. A cocktail of rum and fruit juices.
   • 1976, Walter Becker, Donald Fagen (lyrics and music), “Haitian Divorce”, in The Royal Scam, performed by Steely Dan:

     She takes the taxi to the good hotel / Bon marché as far as she can tell / She drinks the zombie from the cocoa shell

   • 1976, Harvard Advocate CX:ii, pages 8 and 380:

     The maitre d’ introduced us and I had a zombie with him. Those zombies are wicked.

     […]

     I watched Mario and drank zombies out of a thermos.

8. (Canada, historical, derogatory) A conscripted member of the Canadian military during World War II who was assigned to home defence rather than to combat in Europe.
   • 1944, "Time for Decision," Time (US edition), 6 Nov.,

     Had the time come to order Canada's home defense draftees—some 70,000 zombies idling at home—to battle overseas?

9. (Australia, slang) Marijuana, or similar drugs.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:marijuana

   • 1980, Colin Hay, Ron Strykert (lyrics and music), “Down Under”, performed by Men at Work:

     Traveling in a fried-out Kombi / On a hippie trail, head full of zombie

10. (philosophy) A hypothetical being that is indistinguishable from a normal human being except in that it lacks conscious experience, qualia, or sentience.

    Synonyms: p-zombie, philosophical zombie

Derived terms

• antizombie
• dezombification
• dezombify
• phone zombie
• smartphone zombie
• xanbie
• zimbo
• zombic
• zombically
• zombie apocalypse
• zombie bank
• zombie banker
• zombie box
• zombie business
• zombie car
• zombie cell
• zombie client
• zombie company
• zombie computer
• zombie dance
• zombie debt
• zombie debtor
• zombie deer disease
• zombie effect
• zombie fire
• zombie fungus
• zombie host
• zombie hypothesis
• zombieing
• zombie institution
• zombie knife
• zombieless
• zombie lie
• zombielike
• zombie master
• zombie mortgage
• zombieness
• zombie network
• zombie organization
• zombie out
• zombie path
• zombiephile
• zombiephilia
• zombie process
• zombie program
• zombie S&L
• zombie software
• zombie star
• zombie state
• zombie statistic
• zombie strip
• zombie system
• zombie tag
• zombie taxon
• zombie theory
• zombie thought experiment
• zombie urbanism
• zombie user
• zombie version
• zombie walk
• zombie world
• zombie worm
• zombification
• zombify
• zomboid
• zombyish

 

Translations

the undead

• Afrikaans: zombie
• Arabic: زُومْبِي m (zūmbī)المَيِّتُ الحَيّ m (al-mayyitu l-ḥayy)

  Hijazi Arabic: زومبي m (zōmbi)

• Armenian: զոմբի (hy) (zombi)
• Basque: zonbi
• Bulgarian: зомби (bg) n (zombi)
• Catalan: zombi m or f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 僵屍／僵尸 (zh) (jiāngshī) or 殭屍／僵尸 (zh) (jiāngshī), 喪屍／丧尸 (zh) (sàngshī)

• Cornish: zombi m
• Czech: zombie (cs) f, zombík m (colloquial)
• Danish: zombie c
• Dutch: zombie (nl)
• Esperanto: zombio, sorĉkadavro
• Finnish: zombi (fi), zombie (fi)
• French: zombi (fr), zombie (fr)
• Galician: zombi (gl)
• Georgian: ზომბი (zombi)
• German: Zombie (de) m
• Greek: ζόμπι (el) n (zómpi)
• Haitian Creole : zonbi m
• Hebrew: זוֹמְבִּי (zom'bí)
• Hindi: ज़ोंबी (zombī), ज़ोम्बी m (zombī), जोंबी m (jombī), जोम्बी m (jombī), जॉम्बी m (jŏmbī), ज़ॉम्बी m (zŏmbī)
• Hungarian: zombi (hu)
• Icelandic: uppvakningur m
• Indonesian: zombi (id)
• Irish: zombaí m
• Italian: zombi (it)
• Japanese: ゾンビ (ja) (zonbi)
• Korean: 좀비 (ko) (jombi)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: زۆمبی (zombî)

  Northern Kurdish: zombî (ku) m or f

• Lithuanian: zombis m
• Macedonian: зо́мби n (zómbi)
• Malay: zombi
• Maori: poheraka
• Marathi: जॉम्बी (jŏmbī)
• Navajo: daaztsánée yigáłígíí
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: zombie (no) m

• Persian: زنده لاش (zenda lâš), زامبی (zâmbi)
• Polish: zombie (pl) m, zombi (pl) m, zombiak m (colloquial)
• Portuguese: morto-vivo m, zumbi (pt) (Brazil), zombie (pt) (Portugal)
• Romanian: zombi (ro) m
• Russian: зо́мби (ru) m (zómbi)
• Slovak: zombia f, zombi m, zombie m
• Sotho: sethotsela
• Spanish: zombi (es) m or f, zombie (es) m or f
• Swedish: zombie (sv) c
• Thai: ผีดิบ (th) (pǐi-dìp), ซอมบี (sɔm-bîi)
• Tibetan: རོ་ལངས (ro langs)
• Turkish: zombi (tr), hortlak (tr)
• Urdu: زمبی (zombī), زندہ لاش m or f (zinda lāsh)
• Vietnamese: zom-bi, zom-by, thây ma (vi)
• Welsh: sombi m

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈzombiː]
• IPA^(key): [ˈzombɪjɛ]

Noun

zombie m anim or f or n

1. zombie

   Synonyms: zombík, nemrtvý

Declension

when masculine:

Declension of zombie (masculine animate in -ie)

	singular	plural
nominative	zombie	zombiové, zombies
genitive	zombieho	zombiů, zombies
dative	zombiemu	zombiům, zombies
accusative	zombieho	zombie, zombies
vocative	zombie	zombiové, zombies
locative	zombiem	zombiích, zombies
instrumental	zombiem	zombii, zombies

when feminine:

Declension of zombie (indeclinable feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	zombie	zombie, zombies
genitive	zombie	zombie, zombies
dative	zombie	zombie, zombies
accusative	zombie	zombie, zombies
vocative	zombie	zombie, zombies
locative	zombie	zombie, zombies
instrumental	zombie	zombie, zombies

when neuter:

Declension of zombie (indeclinable neuter)

	singular	plural
nominative	zombie	zombie, zombies
genitive	zombie	zombie, zombies
dative	zombie	zombie, zombies
accusative	zombie	zombie, zombies
vocative	zombie	zombie, zombies
locative	zombie	zombie, zombies
instrumental	zombie	zombie, zombies

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English zombie, from a Bantu language.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈzɔm.bi/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: zom‧bie

Noun

zombie m (plural zombies, diminutive zombietje n)

1. zombie

Derived terms

• smombie

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈzombi/, [ˈzo̞mbi]

Noun

zombie

1. Alternative form of zombi.

Declension

Inflection of zombie (Kotus type 3/valtio, no gradation)
nominative		zombie	zombiet
genitive		zombien	zombieiden zombieitten
partitive		zombieta	zombieita
illative		zombieen	zombieihin
		singular	plural
nominative		zombie	zombiet
accusative	nom.	zombie	zombiet
	gen.	zombien
genitive		zombien	zombieiden zombieitten
partitive		zombieta	zombieita
inessive		zombiessa	zombieissa
elative		zombiesta	zombieista
illative		zombieen	zombieihin
adessive		zombiella	zombieilla
ablative		zombielta	zombieilta
allative		zombielle	zombieille
essive		zombiena	zombieina
translative		zombieksi	zombieiksi
abessive		zombietta	zombieitta
instructive		—	zombiein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of zombie (Kotus type 3/valtio, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative zombieni zombieni accusative nom. zombieni zombieni gen. zombieni genitive zombieni zombieideni zombieitteni partitive zombietani zombieitani inessive zombiessani zombieissani elative zombiestani zombieistani illative zombieeni zombieihini adessive zombiellani zombieillani ablative zombieltani zombieiltani allative zombielleni zombieilleni essive zombienani zombieinani translative zombiekseni zombieikseni abessive zombiettani zombieittani instructive — — comitative — zombieineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative zombiesi zombiesi accusative nom. zombiesi zombiesi gen. zombiesi genitive zombiesi zombieidesi zombieittesi partitive zombietasi zombieitasi inessive zombiessasi zombieissasi elative zombiestasi zombieistasi illative zombieesi zombieihisi adessive zombiellasi zombieillasi ablative zombieltasi zombieiltasi allative zombiellesi zombieillesi essive zombienasi zombieinasi translative zombieksesi zombieiksesi abessive zombiettasi zombieittasi instructive — — comitative — zombieinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative zombiemme zombiemme accusative nom. zombiemme zombiemme gen. zombiemme genitive zombiemme zombieidemme zombieittemme partitive zombietamme zombieitamme inessive zombiessamme zombieissamme elative zombiestamme zombieistamme illative zombieemme zombieihimme adessive zombiellamme zombieillamme ablative zombieltamme zombieiltamme allative zombiellemme zombieillemme essive zombienamme zombieinamme translative zombieksemme zombieiksemme abessive zombiettamme zombieittamme instructive — — comitative — zombieinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative zombienne zombienne accusative nom. zombienne zombienne gen. zombienne genitive zombienne zombieidenne zombieittenne partitive zombietanne zombieitanne inessive zombiessanne zombieissanne elative zombiestanne zombieistanne illative zombieenne zombieihinne adessive zombiellanne zombieillanne ablative zombieltanne zombieiltanne allative zombiellenne zombieillenne essive zombienanne zombieinanne translative zombieksenne zombieiksenne abessive zombiettanne zombieittanne instructive — — comitative — zombieinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative zombiensa zombiensa accusative nom. zombiensa zombiensa gen. zombiensa genitive zombiensa zombieidensa zombieittensa partitive zombietaan zombietansa zombieitaan zombieitansa inessive zombiessaan zombiessansa zombieissaan zombieissansa elative zombiestaan zombiestansa zombieistaan zombieistansa illative zombieensa zombieihinsa adessive zombiellaan zombiellansa zombieillaan zombieillansa ablative zombieltaan zombieltansa zombieiltaan zombieiltansa allative zombielleen zombiellensa zombieilleen zombieillensa essive zombienaan zombienansa zombieinaan zombieinansa translative zombiekseen zombieksensa zombieikseen zombieiksensa abessive zombiettaan zombiettansa zombieittaan zombieittansa instructive — — comitative — zombieineen zombieinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• zombie-tähti (“zombie star”)

Further reading

• “zombie”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-04

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /zɔ̃.bi/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

zombie

1. Alternative spelling of zombi
2. feminine singular of zombi

References

• “zombie”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): ^*/ˈd͡zom.bi/
• Rhymes: -ombi

Noun

zombie m or f by sense (invariable)

1. Alternative spelling of zombi

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• sombi, såmbi, zombi (nonstandard)

Etymology

From a Bantu language, via English zombie.

Noun

zombie m (definite singular zombien, indefinite plural zombier, definite plural zombiene)

1. a zombie

References

• “zombie” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sombi/, /sumbi/

Noun

zombie m (definite singular zombien, indefinite plural zombiar, definite plural zombiane)

1. A zombie

Polish

zombie

Alternative forms

• zombi

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English zombie.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈzɔm.bi/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔmbi
• Syllabification: zom‧bie

Noun

zombie m animal (indeclinable)

1. (voodoo) zombie (person, usually undead, animated by unnatural forces (such as magic), with no soul or will of their own)

   Synonyms: umarlak, zombiak, żywy trup

   Hypernym: nieumarły

2. (fiction) zombie (deceased person who becomes reanimate to attack the living)

   Synonyms: umarlak, zombiak, żywy trup

   Hypernym: nieumarły

3. zombie film
4. (computing) zombie (computer affected by malware)

Derived terms

noun

• zombiak

 

Further reading

• zombie in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• zombie in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English zombie.

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈzõ.bi/

Noun

zombie m or f by sense (plural zombies)

1. zombie (the undead)

   Synonyms: morto-vivo, (Brazil) zumbi

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈzɔmbi]

Noun

zombie m pers

1. Alternative form of zombi

Usage notes

May also be indeclineable.

Declension

Declension of zombie

	singular	plural
nominative	zombie	zombieovia
genitive	zombieho	zombieov
dative	zombiemu	zombieom
accusative	zombieho	zombieov
locative	zombiem	zombieoch
instrumental	zombiem	zombieami

Further reading

• “zombie”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Spanish

Noun

zombie m (plural zombies)

1. Alternative spelling of zombi

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from English zombie, from a Bantu language.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔmbɪ/

Noun

zombie c

1. zombie

Declension

Declension of zombie

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	zombie	zombies
	definite	zombien	zombiens
plural	indefinite	zombies, zombier	zombies, zombiers
	definite	zombierna, zombiesarna	zombiernas, zombiersarnas

References

• zombie in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• zombie in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• zombie in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)