zombie-esqueadjective
Factsheet
What does the adjective zombie-esque mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the adjective zombie-esque. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
How is the adjective zombie-esque pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Where does the adjective zombie-esque come from?
Earliest known use
1940s
The earliest known use of the adjective zombie-esque is in the 1940s.
OED's earliest evidence for zombie-esque is from 1946, in Saturday Review of Literature (U.S.).
zombie-esque is formed within English, by derivation.
Etymons: zombie n., ‑esque suffix.
Nearby entries
- Zolaism, n.1882–
- Zolaist, n.1886–
- Zolaize, v.1886–
- Zollinger–Ellison syndrome, n.1956–
- Zöllner, n.1890–
- zollverein, n.1843–
- zolotnik, n.1783–
- zombie, n.1788–
- zombie apocalypse, n.1982–
- zombied, adj.1972–
- zombie-esque, adj.1946–
- zombie-like, adj. & adv.1932–
- zombie worm, n.2005–
- zombification, n.1968–
- zombified, adj.1965–
- zombify, v.1950–
- zombocalypse, n.2007–
- zomboid, adj.1963–
- zom-com, n.2004–
- zomotherapeutic, adj.1900–
- zomotherapy, n.1900–
Etymology
Meaning & use
- 1946–Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
- 1946
Other endings are found in barterable, fissionable, and unenlightenable;..in zombiesque;..and in hysteroid and survivaloid.
Saturday Review of Literature (U.S.) 29 June 41/2 - 1948
The mechanical style, which began in the counting-house, has now infiltrated into the university, some of its most zombiesque instances occurring in the works of eminent scholars and divines.
R. Graves, White Goddess xiii. 203 - 1972
Ponderax..sidetracks the appetite but leaves the character..muted, zombiesque.
Vogue January 7/3 - 2020
We're all a bit zombie-esque, pandemic refugees, if—yeah-yeah—in this together.
Toronto Star (Nexis) 1 August a2
- unfeelingOld English–Having no feeling or sensation, insensible; figurative not sensitive to impressions, etc.
- dead?c1225–Of a part of the body: deprived of sensation or the ability to move; numb. Also figurative.
- unwitlessc1225Senseless, insentient.
- insensiblec1400–Naturally incapable of physical feeling; not having the faculty of sensation. Now rare.
- unfeelablec1400–1568Unable to feel; insensible. Obsolete.
- unfredeablec1450Insensible; without feeling.
- insensate?1520–Destitute of physical sense or feeling; without sensation, ‘senseless’, inanimate.
- blatea1522–1603Void of feeling, physically insensible, feelingless. (Perhaps, like a dead body). Obsolete.
- deaf?1527–Of a limb: numb, lacking sensation. rare (Irish English (northern) in later use).
- unsensible1531–= insensible, adj. A.II.3a.
- inanimatea1555–Not animated or alive; destitute of life, lifeless; spec. not endowed with animal life, as in inanimate nature, that part of nature which is…
- senseless1557–Of a body, body part, etc.: deprived of sensation or feeling; insentient.
- unsensate1561Insensate.
- sleeping1562–Numb: devoid of sensation.
- insensitive1610–1713Destitute of feeling or consciousness (in general); not sentient; inanimate. Obsolete.
- unsensitive1610–(un-, prefix¹ affix 1).
- torpid1613–Benumbed; deprived or devoid of the power of motion or feeling; in which activity, animation, or development is suspended; dormant.
- inanimated1646–1826= inanimate, adj. A.1.
- torpent1647–= torpid, adj.
- unperceptive1668–Not perceptive; (now esp.) lacking in insight or intelligence.
- feelless1684–Without feeling, emotion, or sensitivity; numb, insensible.
- insentient1764–Destitute of physical feeling, sensation, or consciousness; inanimate.
- unsentient1768–(un-, prefix¹ affix 1.)
- sensationless1824–Lacking or without sensation.
- apathic1835–Without sensation.
- non-sensitive1836–Not sensitive, insensitive.
- zombie-like1932–Characteristic of or resembling (that of) a zombie; lifeless, unfeeling.
- zombie-esque1946–Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
- zomboid1963–Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
- zombied1972–= zombified, adj. Also with out.
the world the supernatural supernatural being or deity malignant monster [adjectives] of or like a zombie- zombie-like1932–Characteristic of or resembling (that of) a zombie; lifeless, unfeeling.
- zombie-esque1946–Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
- zomboid1963–Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
- zombified1965–Transformed into a zombie. Chiefly in extended use (cf. zombie, n. I.3a, zombify, v.).
- zombied1972–= zombified, adj. Also with out.
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.
Consonants
b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values
- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige
Vowels
- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot
Forms
Variant forms
- 1900s–zombie-esque, zombiesque