Zombieism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of being a mindless, sluggish creature with no will of its own, as in fictional undead beings
2. The state of acting like an unthinking, emotionless automaton, drained of personality and purpose
3. A lifeless, dazed condition in which a person moves without thought, much like the undead in horror stories

Etymology: "Zombieism" is a plain compound: the noun "zombie" with the suffix "-ism," which in English forms nouns meaning a doctrine, practice, or state of being. Put together, the word names the condition or quality of being a zombie, or a system of behaviour resembling one, in the same way "heroism" or "vandalism" name a quality or practice. The spelling "zombiism" is an alternative form, and the two words share the same base and the same suffix. Because "-ism" attaches readily to nouns of many origins, the formation tells us little more than that the word was built on demand from a noun that already existed. Its meaning rests entirely on "zombie," so the more interesting history lies in that base word.