zomboid, adj.

zomboid
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zomboid_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2021

# zomboidadjective

## Factsheet

### What does the adjective zomboid mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the adjective zomboid. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

### How is the adjective zomboid pronounced?

#### British English

/ˈzɒmbɔɪd/
ZOM-boyd

#### U.S. English

/ˈzɑmˌbɔɪd/
ZAHM-boyd

### Where does the adjective zomboid come from?

Earliest known use

1960s

The earliest known use of the adjective zomboid is in the 1960s.

OED's earliest evidence for zomboid is from 1963, in Esquire Magazine.

zomboid is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: zombie n., ‑oid suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. zombie, n. 1788–
2. zombie apocalypse, n. 1982–
3. zombied, adj. 1972–
4. zombie-esque, adj. 1946–
5. zombie-like, adj. & adv. 1932–
6. zombie worm, n. 2005–
7. zombification, n. 1968–
8. zombified, adj. 1965–
9. zombify, v. 1950–
10. zombocalypse, n. 2007–
11. zomboid, adj.1963–
12. zom-com, n. 2004–
13. zomotherapeutic, adj. 1900–
14. zomotherapy, n. 1900–
15. zona, n. 1706–
16. zona ignea, n. 1818–
17. zonal, adj. 1867–
18. zonality, n. 1909–
19. zonally, adv. 1873–
20. zonal marking, n. 1958–
21. zona pellucida, n. 1841–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
Etymons: zombie n., ‑oid suffix.
< zomb- (in zombie n.) + ‑oid suffix.

Compare earlier zombie-like adj. and zombie-esque adj.

## Meaning & use

1. 1963–
   Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
   1. 1963

      > Ranging from the zomboid catalepsy of the junkie to the aesthetic dandyism of a Baudelaire.

      Esquire December 269/4
   2. 1975

      > ‘I'm David Bowie,’ he intones with a zomboid air.

      Sunday Times 20 July (Colour Supplement) 11/3
   3. 1979

      > Some of the most zomboid heroines in recent fiction.

      Guardian 18 October 11/6
   1. unfeeling Old English–
      Having no feeling or sensation, insensible; figurative not sensitive to impressions, etc.
   2. dead?c1225–
      Of a part of the body: deprived of sensation or the ability to move; numb. Also figurative.
   3. unwitless c1225
      Senseless, insentient.
   4. insensible c1400–
      Naturally incapable of physical feeling; not having the faculty of sensation. Now rare.
   5. unfeelable c1400–1568
      Unable to feel; insensible. Obsolete.
   6. unfredeable c1450
      Insensible; without feeling.
   7. insensate?1520–
      Destitute of physical sense or feeling; without sensation, ‘senseless’, inanimate.
   8. blate a1522–1603
      Void of feeling, physically insensible, feelingless. (Perhaps, like a dead body). Obsolete.
   9. deaf?1527–
      Of a limb: numb, lacking sensation. rare (Irish English (northern) in later use).
   10. unsensible 1531–
       = insensible, adj. A.II.3a.
   11. inanimate a1555–
       Not animated or alive; destitute of life, lifeless; spec. not endowed with animal life, as in inanimate nature, that part of nature which is…
   12. senseless 1557–
       Of a body, body part, etc.: deprived of sensation or feeling; insentient.
   13. unsensate 1561
       Insensate.
   14. sleeping 1562–
       Numb: devoid of sensation.
   15. insensitive 1610–1713
       Destitute of feeling or consciousness (in general); not sentient; inanimate. Obsolete.
   16. unsensitive 1610–
       (un-, prefix¹ affix 1).
   17. torpid 1613–
       Benumbed; deprived or devoid of the power of motion or feeling; in which activity, animation, or development is suspended; dormant.
   18. inanimated 1646–1826
       = inanimate, adj. A.1.
   19. torpent 1647–
       = torpid, adj.
   20. unperceptive 1668–
       Not perceptive; (now esp.) lacking in insight or intelligence.
   21. feelless 1684–
       Without feeling, emotion, or sensitivity; numb, insensible.
   22. insentient 1764–
       Destitute of physical feeling, sensation, or consciousness; inanimate.
   23. unsentient 1768–
       (un-, prefix¹ affix 1.)
   24. sensationless 1824–
       Lacking or without sensation.
   25. apathic 1835–
       Without sensation.
   26. non-sensitive 1836–
       Not sensitive, insensitive.
   27. zombie-like 1932–
       Characteristic of or resembling (that of) a zombie; lifeless, unfeeling.
   28. zombie-esque 1946–
       Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
   29. zomboid 1963–
       Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
   30. zombied 1972–
       = zombified, adj. Also with out.
   View in Historical Thesaurus
   1. zombie-like 1932–
      Characteristic of or resembling (that of) a zombie; lifeless, unfeeling.
   2. zombie-esque 1946–
      Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
   3. zomboid 1963–
      Resembling or suggestive of a zombie; zombie-like.
   4. zombified 1965–
      Transformed into a zombie. Chiefly in extended use (cf. zombie, n. I.3a, zombify, v.).
   5. zombied 1972–
      = zombified, adj. Also with out.
   View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/ˈzɒmbɔɪd/
ZOM-boyd

### U.S. English

/ˈzɑmˌbɔɪd/
ZAHM-boyd

####

##### 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 /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### 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 /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### 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

Originally published as part of the entry for zombie, n.

zomboid, adj. was revised in September 2021.

zomboid, adj. was last modified in July 2023.