undead
nounEtymology From Middle English undede, equivalent to un- + dead. The first attestation is from around 1400. The term was revived, popularized, and imbued with supernatural connotations by its usage in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897).
1
A creature that is undead; that is, dead but still animate.
Horror and fantasy fiction
- Innocent VIII lent credibility to the actual existence of undeads, an action that perpetuated, and even stimulated, vampire hysteria.1997, Carol Margaret Davison, Paul Simpson-Housley, Bram Stoker's Dracula: sucking through the century, 1897-1997:
2
With definite article Those who are undead.
Horror and fantasy fiction
- In the zombie movie, an army of the undead accosted some unsuspecting teenagers.
- "You will do me a service," the undead said to him.1983, Tanith Lee, The Wars of Vis:
3 more examples
- "Were another of the Un-Dead, like him, to try to do what he has done, perhaps not all the centuries of the world that have been, or that will be, could aid him."1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, New York: Doubleday & McClure, published 1899, page xxiv. 319:
- Harley got devoured by the undead / Lurking down in some old wizard's tomb / You can say there's no such thing as zombies / But that's how Harley Warren met his doom2006, The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society, “Harley Got Devoured by the Undead”, in An Even Scarier Solstice:
- It’s an episode of characters returning to their own pasts as different people. They can retrench like Cersei, back on her bullshit, I mean, warpath. Or they can adapt, like The Hound. Neither way necessarily ensures success, but we know the archmaester isn’t unequivocally right. We’ve seen dragons reborn and armies of the undead. I wouldn’t be so sure that Wall will stand forever.2017 July 16, Brandon Nowalk, “Chickens and dragons come home to roost on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 20 Aug 2017:
- Related terms
- Frankenstein's monster, living dead, mummy, revenant, vampire, zombie, undying