2 syllables: Zom, bie. Stress on Zom.
ZAHM-bee
/ˈzɑmbi/
Zombie is pronounced ZAHM-bee (/ˈzɑmbi/). It has two syllables (Zom-bie), with the stress on "Zom". Zombie is a noun referring to a reanimated corpse, typically portrayed in folklore, horror fiction, or popular culture as a mindless carrier of danger. In everyday use, the term can also describe a person who appears lifelessly disengaged or socially unresponsive, or, informally, something monotonous or exhausted.
nounZombie is a noun referring to a reanimated corpse, typically portrayed in folklore, horror fiction, or popular culture as a mindless carrier of danger. In everyday use, the term can also describe a person who appears lifelessly disengaged or socially unresponsive, or, informally, something monotonous or exhausted.
- You may lengthen or misplace the first vowel, turning /ˈzɒm.bi/ into /ˈzuːm.bi/ or /ˈzɔːm.bi/. To fix, keep a short, rounded /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ and drop lip rounding: relax jaw, close lips around /m/, then release into /bi/. - People often flatten the second syllable into /bɪ/ or /bi/ with too much emphasis on the vowel; aim for a quick, light /bi/ with the vowel not too long. Practice a clean transition from /m/ to /b/ with almost no vowel between. - Final syllable length: avoid turning /bi/ into /biː/ unless the speaker is deliberately elongating; keep a crisp, shorter /bi/ in normal speech.
"In the movie, the zombie outbreak escalates as the infected roam the streets."
"After the semi-final, he walked off the stage like a zombie, barely acknowledging the applause."
"The meeting was a zombie affair, with everyone staring at their phones instead of speaking."
Zombie is stressed on the first syllable. In US/UK/AU you’ll typically hear /ˈzɒm.bi/ (British/Canadian-like) or /ˈzɑːm.bi/ in some US dialects with a broader vowel. The first vowel is a short open back /ɔ/ or broad /ɒ/ depending on accent, followed by a clear /m/ and a final /bi/ with a light /i/. Practice: /ˈzɒm.bi/ or /ˈzɑːm.bi/ with crisp /z/ onset and a clean, unstressed /i/.
Common mistakes include pronouncing the first vowel as a long /oʊ/ or /oʊ/ like 'zoo' (zoo-mee), which is incorrect for most dialects. Another error is misplacing the /z/ or muting the /m/ between vowels, leading to /ˈzɑːmɪ/ or /ˈzɒmɪ/. Ensure the second syllable has a full /bi/ with a clear /b/ and long-ish /i/ rather than a schwa. Emphasize the first syllable and avoid adding a trailing 'ee' sound.
In US English you may hear /ˈzɒm.bi/ with a shorter /ɒ/ and a flapped or unaspirated /t/ not present here. UK typically /ˈzɒm.bi/ with short, rounded /ɒ/ and less vowel reduction. Some Australian speakers may use /ˈzɒm.bi/ or even /ˈzæm.bi/ in certain dialects, retaining a crisper /z/ and final /bi/. Rhoticity is not a factor for this word, as the word doesn't end with /r/. Overall, the primary variance is vowel quality in the first syllable and the exact duration of the /ɒ/ or /ɒ/ before /m/.
The challenge centers on the short, clipped first vowel and the transition from /z/ to /ɒ/ (or /ɑ/ in some dialects) and then to /m/ without adding extra vocalic content. Maintaining a clean /bi/ at the end with proper voicing and not reducing the second syllable to /-bi/ or /-biː/ is important. The sequence /ˈzɒm.bi/ requires a quick, precise mouth shape shift from vowel to consonant without vowel intrusion. It can be tricky for non-native speakers who overextend the first vowel or slur the /b/ and /i/.
Zombie features a stressed closed-syllable first vowel and a final unstressed syllable with a clear /bi/ rather than /bə/. The critical nuance is keeping the second syllable tight and not letting it digest into a reduced schwa. The word also often appears in rapid speech as /ˈzɒm.bi/ or even /ˈzɑːm bi/ depending on speaker tempo. Focusing on the crisp /m/ and a full /bi/ helps edge out common elisions.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity minimal; the word doesn’t include /r/, but American speakers often give a slightly longer /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ before /m/. Use a mid-back rounded vowel, then a precise /m/ /bi/ at end. - UK: lean toward short /ɒ/ or /ɒm/ with tighter lip rounding and a stronger glide into /b/; ensure non-rhotic but crisp final /bi/. - AU: similar to UK but may show more vowel rounding and a slightly higher tongue position for /ɒ/; keep a clean /bi/ without extra vowel color. Use IPA: /ˈzɒm.bi/ or /ˈzɑːm.bi/ depending on subdialect.
The word zombie originates from Haitian Creole zombi, derived from the West African Kongo nzambi meaning 'spirit of a dead person' or a god. The term entered English via Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean folklore, especially in relation to Voodoo beliefs, where the zombie described a drowned or soulless person revived through magical means. Early 19th-century English texts began using zombie in travel accounts and anthropological writings to describe Haitian folklore. In popular culture, especially since the mid-20th century, zombie has broadened to describe brainless, mind-controlled individuals or generic horror antagonists, evolving into the modern trope of a fast or slow, undead creature. The etymon reflects a fusion of African religious concepts and Caribbean linguistic adaptation, with first printed attestations appearing in English-language writings about Haiti in the 1800s. Over time, zombie became entrenched in media, film, and literature, morphing into a cultural symbol of contagion and societal breakdown, while retaining its original association with an undead being controlled by external forces or magic.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Zombie" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Zombie" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Zombie"
-bby sounds
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