Zombification
/ˌzɒmbɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun
The process of turning someone or something into a zombie or zombie-like state.
Did you know?Although the zombie idea is often linked to Haitian folklore, the English word ultimately passed through colonial-era Caribbean usage into modern pop culture, where it became a symbol of control, not just death.
Etymological Timeline
18th–19th Century
West African / Caribbean
nzambi / zumbi
“A spirit, deity, or reanimated dead person in related Afro-Caribbean traditions.”
Early 19th Century
Creole/Caribbean
zombi
“A dead person revived by magical or supernatural means.”
Late 19th Century
English
zombie
“A reanimated corpse or someone without independent will.”
Mid 20th Century
English
zombify
“To make zombie-like; to deprive of will or vitality.”
Modern English
English
zombification
“The process of becoming or making something zombie-like.”
Explore more surprising origins