a dead body that has been brought back to life by a supernatural force
"The ancient horror movie featured terrifying zombies, which are depicted as dead bodies resurrected by dark magic."
(voodooism) a spirit or supernatural force that reanimates a dead body
"In the folklore of voodooism, the priestess chants ancient spells to summon a zombie as a spirit that reanimates her deceased brother's corpse."
A snake god or fetish in religions of West Africa and elsewhere.
"The anthropologist studied the ancient texts to understand the role of the zombie as a revered snake deity in traditional West African rituals."
In plain English: A zombie is an undead person who moves around without any thought of their own, usually appearing only in horror movies or video games.
"The movie featured terrifying zombies that walked mindlessly toward survivors."
Usage: In everyday conversation, this term refers to an undead person who acts like a mindless slave rather than the African religious figure described here. Use it when discussing horror movies or pop culture where people are reanimated by magic or science.
The word zombie likely entered English in the 18th century via Caribbean folklore and Louisiana Creole, where it originally referred to a spirit or ghost rather than an undead person. While its exact roots are debated among linguists, it probably derives from Bantu words for "god" or "fetish," with some scholars also suggesting a possible connection to Spanish for "shadow."