Definition

Noun 1. A spirit or supernatural force believed to reanimate a dead body: In the context of Voodoo (Vodou), a zombi spirit is a spiritual entity or supernatural power that is said to enter and revive a corpse, resulting in a being known as a zombi. This concept is central to certain folkloric and religious traditions.

Usage Notes

• The term is specifically associated with the religious and folkloric traditions of Haiti and the broader African diaspora in the Caribbean.
• It is a compound noun, but in this specific definition, it functions as a single concept referring to the animating force itself, not the reanimated body.
• The spelling "zombi" is an alternative to "zombie," often used in anthropological and religious studies contexts to refer specifically to the folkloric and spiritual concept, as opposed to the popular culture monster.

Examples

• According to local belief, a zombi spirit could be commanded by a bokor (a sorcerer) to inhabit a corpse.
• The ritual was intended to call upon a zombi spirit to reanimate the body.
• Anthropologists studied the concept of the zombi spirit within the Vodou tradition.

Advanced Usage

• The concept can be discussed in academic contexts relating to anthropology, religious studies, and folklore.
• It is often distinguished from the purely fictional, pop-culture zombie, which is typically the result of a virus or radiation.

Variants and Related Words

• Zombi (or Zombie) (noun): The reanimated body or person, controlled by the zombi spirit or by a sorcerer.
• Zombification (noun): The process of becoming a zombi.
• Bokor (noun): In Vodou, a sorcerer or priest who is said to have the power to create a zombi, often by capturing and employing a zombi spirit.

Synonyms

• Animating spirit
• Reanimating force

Related Concepts

• Vodou/Voodoo: The syncretic religion in which this concept is rooted.
• Folklore: The body of traditional beliefs and stories where this concept is found.
• The Walking Dead: A descriptive phrase sometimes used for the reanimated body, not the spirit.

Noun

1. (voodooism) a spirit or supernatural force that reanimates a dead body