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Added 1 October 2026

zombie

/ˈzɒmbi/ noun

First recorded: 18th century Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about zombie at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A dead body that has been brought back to life by a supernatural force.
(voodooism) a spirit or supernatural force that reanimates a dead body.
A god of voodoo cults of African origin worshipped especially in West Indies.

Origin

First attested in the 18th century. Partially through Louisiana Creole zombi (“zombie; ghost”), Haitian Creole zonbi (“zombie”), and French zombi (“zombie”). Ultimately from a Bantu language. Compare Kongo nzambi (“god”), zumbi (“fetish”), and Kimbundu nzumbi (“ghost”) (see Portuguese zumbi, Sranan Tongo dyumbi), and Caribbean folklore's jumbie (“a spirit or demon”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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