zombie
7 synonyms for zombie, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — In folklore and fiction, a reanimated corpse controlled by magic or driven by a mindless urge to attack the living.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use zombie
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
zombie apocalypse
zombie movie
zombie computer
Etymology
Traced through Haitian Creole zonbi and French zombi back to a Bantu language, related to Kongo nzambi ("god") and Kimbundu nzumbi ("ghost") — echoed in Caribbean folklore's "jumbie," a wandering spirit.
Full origin of zombie →Frequently asked questions
What does “zombie” mean?
The word “zombie” means in folklore and fiction, a reanimated corpse controlled by magic or driven by a mindless urge to attack the living. In plain terms, a reanimated corpse in horror fiction, or, more loosely, someone completely worn out or a hacked computer under remote control.
How do you pronounce “zombie”?
“Zombie” is pronounced ZOM-bee (/ˈzɑmbi/ in IPA).
How do you use “zombie” in a sentence?
Here is “zombie” used in a sentence: “In the film, the survivors barricade themselves in a mall to escape the zombies.”
What part of speech is “zombie”?
“Zombie” is a noun.
Where does the word “zombie” come from?
The word “zombie” comes from French. Traced through Haitian Creole zonbi and French zombi back to a Bantu language, related to Kongo nzambi ("god") and Kimbundu nzumbi ("ghost") — echoed in Caribbean folklore's "jumbie," a wandering spirit.
Is “zombie” a common word?
“Zombie” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “zombie” have?
“Zombie” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in folklore and fiction, a reanimated corpse controlled by magic or driven by a mindless urge to attack the living.
What is the difference between a "zombie" and a "ghost"?
A zombie is a reanimated corpse — a physical, walking dead body from folklore and fiction — while a ghost is the immaterial spirit of a dead person. A zombie has a body but no mind; a ghost has no body at all.
What is a "zombie" computer?
In computing, a zombie is a computer secretly infected with malware and controlled remotely by an attacker without the owner's knowledge. Many such zombies linked together form a "botnet" used for large-scale attacks.
What is the difference between a "zombie" and a "vampire"?
Both are undead creatures of fiction, but a zombie is a mindless reanimated corpse driven to attack the living, while a vampire is typically an intelligent being that survives by drinking blood. Vampires keep their wits and personality; zombies generally do not.
