zombi spirit
- noun
- /ˈzɑm.bi ˈspɪr.ɪt/
- Literature
- According to Haitian folklore, a zombi spirit can possess the body of a deceased person.
Examples
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Some rituals are believed to invoke a zombi spirit to reanimate the dead.
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The legend of the zombi spirit has inspired many stories and films about the undead.
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The ritual called upon a zombi spirit to return the deceased.
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Many believe that a zombi spirit can possess the living.
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According to Haitian folklore, a zombi spirit can possess the body of a deceased person.
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Some rituals are believed to invoke a zombi spirit to reanimate the dead.
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The ritual called upon a zombi spirit to return the deceased.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A dead body brought back to life by magic that walks and attacks people
A ghost believed to bring a dead body back to life
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derivable from 'zombi' (a corpse revived by supernatural means) + 'spirit' (an incorporeal being): together they denote a spirit associated with reanimating a corpse. This is a straightforward, cross-linguistically plausible compound, so a B1 learner who knows both words would likely infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Zombi spirit comes from Haitian folk stories about a zombi or spirit that returns to a dead body and makes it move again. One popular story says ritual leaders would call this spirit to enter a dead body, so the phrase now means a spirit that 'brings the dead back to life' or a person who seems controlled by such a spirit.