Zombielike
/ˈzɒm.bi.laɪk/noun
Resembling a zombie in appearance, movement, or behavior.
Did you know?The English word zombie entered the language through Haitian Creole and ultimately West African languages, where it was tied to spirits, the dead, and loss of will—not the flesh-eating monster Hollywood made famous.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
Portuguese
zombi
“A spirit or fetish in Afro-Caribbean religious contexts, recorded in colonial contact zones.”
18th Century
French
zombi
“A reanimated or spirit-controlled being, especially in Caribbean reports.”
19th Century
English
zombie
“A dead person or body revived by supernatural means; later, a person in a dazed or unresponsive state.”
20th Century
English
zombielike
“Resembling a zombie; acting dull, vacant, or mechanically unresponsive.”
Explore more surprising origins