zumbinoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zumbi mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zumbi. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
This word is used in Caribbean English.
How is the noun zumbi pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Caribbean English
West African English
Where does the noun zumbi come from?
Earliest known use
early 1700s
The earliest known use of the noun zumbi is in the early 1700s.
OED's earliest evidence for zumbi is from 1704, in G. Merolla's Voy. Congo.
zumbi is a borrowing from Kimbundu.
Etymons: Kimbundu nzumbi.
Nearby entries
- Zugunruhe, n.1950–
- Zugzwang, n.1904–
- zule | zulis, n.1780–
- Zulu, n. & adj.1824–
- Zulu, v.1882–
- Zuludom, n.1867–
- Zulu hat, n.1879–
- Zuluize, v.1852–
- Zulu time, n.1959–
- zumbador, n.1758–64
- zumbi, n.1704–
- zumboorukchee, n.1840–
- Zuñi, n.1834–
- zunyite, n.1885–
- zuppa, n.1961–
- Zurich, n.1870–
- Zuricher, n.1673–
- zurla, n.1940–
- zurlite, n.1826–
- zurna, n.1870–
- zurr, n.1803–
Etymology
Summary
Meaning & use
- 1704–Chiefly in West and South-west African (esp. Angolan) contexts: the ghost or spirit of a dead person, esp. a malevolent one. Occasionally also Caribbean in later use; cf. zombie n. I.1, jumbie n., duppy n.In quot. 2021 in historical context.
- 1704
They prevent the Soul of the dead Person from coming to give the Zumbi [Italian li Zumbi] to any of the future Inhabitants.
translation of G. Merolla, Voy. Congo ii, in A. Churchill & J. Churchill, Collection of Voyages vol. I. 741/2 - 1876
There was no danger of the Zumbi, or ghost.
R. F. Burton, Two Trips to Gorilla Land vol. II. 124 - 1882
A libation..to the zumbi or n'zumbi of the other world, by and with whom they always deem themselves surrounded and connected.
A. Elwes, translation of H. C. de B. Capello & R. Ivens From Benguella to Yacca vol. I. 26 - 1986
The Gullah speakers believe that the spirits of the dead, the zumbi, live among the leaves.
M. Davis, Forbidden Objects xxi. 202 - 2021
The patients duly offered a banquet to appease the zumbi.
K. Kananoja, Healing Knowledge in Atlantic Africa i. 41
- ghostOld English–The soul or spirit of a dead person or animal, conceived of as appearing in visible form or otherwise manifesting in the physical world, typically…
- hueOld English–1603concrete. An apparition, a phantasm. Obsolete.
- soulOld English–The disembodied spirit of a deceased person (or occasionally an animal) regarded as a separate entity and invested with some degree of…
- fantasyc1325–1583A spectral apparition, phantom; an illusory appearance. Obs.
- spiritc1350–An incorporeal, supernatural, rational being, of a type usually regarded as imperceptible to humans but capable of becoming visible at will, and…
- phantomc1384–A thing (usually with human form) that appears to the sight or other sense, but has no material substance; an apparition, a spectre, a ghost. Also…
- phantasmc1430–An apparition, spirit, or ghost; a visible but incorporeal being. Now archaic and rare.
- haunterc1440–One who or that which haunts, in various senses; a frequenter.
- shadowa1464–A spectral form, phantom; = shade, n. II.6.
- appearance1488–That which appears without being material; a phantom or apparition.
- wraith1513–An apparition or spectre of a dead person; a phantom or ghost.
- hag1538–1637A frightening apparition or creature, esp. a ghost. Obsolete.
- spoorn1584–1790A special kind of spectre or phantom.
- vizarda1591A phantasm or spectre. Obsolete. rare.
- life-in-death1593–A condition of being or seeming to be neither alive nor dead, a phantom state between life and death; (in extended use) something having the form or…
- phantasma1598–= phantasm, n. (in various senses).
- umbra1601–The shade of a deceased person; a phantom or ghost. Also figurative.
- larve1603–= larva, n. 1.
- spectre1605–An apparition, phantom, or ghost, esp. one of a terrifying nature or aspect.
- spectrum1611–An apparition or phantom; a spectre.
- idolon1612–A non-material image of a person or thing; esp. a mental image, visualization, or conception.
- apparitiona1616–spec. An immaterial appearance as of a real being; a spectre, phantom, or ghost. (The ordinary current sense.)
- shadea1616–A spectre, phantom. rare.
- shapea1616–concrete. An imaginary, spectral, or ethereal form; a phantom. Now rare.
- showa1616–1841A phantom, a vision, an apparition. Obsolete.
- larva1651–A disembodied spirit; a ghost, hobgoblin, spectre. Obsolete exc. Historical.
- white hat?1693Newfoundland. The name of a spirit or ghost. Obsolete. rare.
- zumbi1704–Chiefly in West and South-west African (esp. Angolan) contexts: the ghost or spirit of a dead person, esp. a malevolent one. Occasionally also Car…
- jumbie1764–The ghost or spirit of a dead person, esp. a malevolent one. Cf. duppy, n., zombie, n. I.1.
- duppy1774–A name among black West Indians for a ghost or spirit.
- waff1777–An apparition, wraith. = waft, n.¹ 7.
- zombie1788–In parts of the Caribbean (esp. Haiti) and the southern United States: the ghost or spirit of a dead person, esp. a malevolent one. Cf. zumbi, n., j…
- Wild Huntsman1796–A phantom huntsman of Teutonic legend, fabled to ride at night through the fields and woods with shouts and baying of hounds.
- spook1801–A spectre, apparition, ghost. Often somewhat jocular or colloquial.
- ghostie1810–A ghost.
- hantua1811–An evil spirit, a ghost.
- preta1811–The disembodied soul of a dead person, esp. before the completion of funeral rites and ceremonies allowing it to leave the world of humans as an…
- bodach1814–A peasant, churl; also (Scottish) a spectre.
- revenant1823–A person who returns from the dead; a reanimated corpse; a ghost. Also figurative.
- death-fetch1826–a. An apparition or double of a living person that is superstitiously believed to portend the person's death; b. a spirit supposed to come and…
- sowlth1829–A formless, luminous spectre. Chiefly in the writings of W. B. Yeats.
- kehua1839–The spirit of a dead person; a ghost.
- haunt1843–U.S. regional and English regional. A spirit supposed to haunt a place; a ghost. Also (occasionally) in wider use.
- night-bat1847–a. Caribbean (Barbados and Guyana) a bat; b. now literary a ghost, a bogey; c. chiefly Jamaican, a large night-flying moth.
- spectrality1850–A phantasm; ghostliness.
- thivish1852–A ghost, apparition, or spectre.
- beastie1867–Originally Scottish. A frightening supernatural creature or spirit; a ghost, hobgoblin, or bogey; a monster.
- ghost soul1869–(In the context of spiritualism and shamanism) the soul of a human or animal that animates the body but can exist and travel separately from it, as…
- barrow-wight1891–A mound of earth or stones erected in early times over a grave; a grave-mound, a tumulus. Also attributive as barrow-wight n. (see quot. 1891); so…
- resurrect1892A person who has risen from the dead.
- waft1897–An apparition, wraith. Cf. waff, n. 5.
- churel1901–In India, the ghost of a woman who has died in child-birth, believed to haunt lonely places malevolently and to spread disease.
- comeback1908–A person who has returned; (also) a ghost. rare.
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
Caribbean English
West African 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.
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea, thaw
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye, thee
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- hhay
- llay
- 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 as in British and US English.
Vowels
- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, ago
- aːpalm, bath, thought
- aː(r)start
- ɑlot, cloth
- ʌstrut, letter
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- oːgoat
- ɔːthought
- oː(r)north, force, cure
- ɜː(r)nurse
- eː(r)square, near
- aʊmouth
- ɔʊmouth
- eːface
- aipride, voice
- ɔivoice
- ãsoucouyant
- ɑ̃salon
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, thaw
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye, thee
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
/ɡb/ is often treated as a single sound, a simultaneous ‘double articulation’ of the two stop sounds.
Unlike in many other varieties of English, consonants cannot take on the function of vowels in West African English (there are no ‘syllabic consonants’).
Vowels
- ikit, fleece, happy
- eface
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath, palm, start, perch, letter
- ɔlot, cloth, thought, north, force, strut, work, cure
- ufoot, goose
- ogoat
- aipride
- aumouth
- ɔivoice
- ianear
- easquare
- uacure
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
- 1700s–zumbi
- 1900s–zumbie