undead
Risen from graves
Undead describes beings that have died but continue to exist in some animate form—zombies, vampires, ghosts, skeletons.
The term comes from horror fiction and fantasy gaming, where the undead are a category of monster: The necromancer raised an army of undead.
As a noun, undead can be singular or plural: an undead, the undead.
The word occasionally appears metaphorically for things that refuse to stay dead: That policy proposal is undead—it keeps coming back.
Visible supernatural manifestation
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- specterGhostly threatening presence
- spiritSoul, mood, or liquor
- wraithSpectral apparition of someone
poltergeist · shade · haunt · haunting · ethereal · incorporeal · intangible · ectoplasm
Embalmed, wrapped ancient body
- revenantReturned from death
- wightArchaic term for creature
- barrowLoad carrier or tumulus
- tomb guardianFigure protecting a burial site
pharaoh's curse · cursed · restless · folklore · legend · hungry ghost
Revival from death
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- revivalReturn after decline
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
rebirth · dark arts · ritual · incantation · Frankenstein · corpse · spell · forbidden
One who walks unsteadily
- hordeDisorganized, overwhelming crowd
- walkerAmbulatory person or aid
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
apocalypse · brains · flesh-eating · rotting · decay · groaner · biters · shambling
Organism feeding on plasma
- fangsSharp piercing teeth
- DraculaLegendary Transylvanian vampire
- Nosferatu1922 German vampire film
- coffinBurial container for remains
crypt · stakes · garlic · crucifix · sunlight · bat · Transylvania · bloodlust
Plot for interring the dead
- tombUnderground chamber for remains
- cryptSubterranean burial vault
- scavengerSeeker of refuse
- prowlerOne who lurks suspiciously
desecration · morbid · ghastly · sepulchral · unholy · macabre · charnel · carrion
Communicating with the deceased
- phylacteryScripture-holding ritual case
- skeletalOf or like bones
- sorcererWielder of arcane power
- spellcasterOne who performs magic
dark magic · skull · robes · power-hungry · arcane · throne · dominion · minions
apparition
Visible supernatural manifestation
wraith · poltergeist · shade · haunt · haunting · ethereal · incorporeal · intangible · ectoplasm · soul
mummy
Embalmed, wrapped ancient body
pharaoh's curse · tomb guardian · cursed · restless · folklore · legend · hungry ghost
resurrection
Revival from death
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- revivalReturn after decline
- sorceryPractice of dark magic
awakening · rebirth · dark arts · ritual · incantation · Frankenstein · corpse · spell · forbidden · raised
shambler
One who walks unsteadily
- hordeDisorganized, overwhelming crowd
- walkerAmbulatory person or aid
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
infection · apocalypse · brains · flesh-eating · rotting · decay · groaner · biters · shambling · mindless
bloodsucker
Organism feeding on plasma
coffin · crypt · stakes · garlic · crucifix · sunlight · bat · Transylvania · bloodlust · thrall
graveyard
Plot for interring the dead
prowler · desecration · morbid · ghastly · sepulchral · unholy · macabre · charnel · carrion · feral
necromancy
Communicating with the deceased
- phylacteryScripture-holding ritual case
- skeletalOf or like bones
- sorcererWielder of arcane power
spellcaster · dark magic · skull · robes · power-hungry · arcane · throne · dominion · minions · curse
- Vampiresvampire, vampires, vampirism, fangs, coffin
- Zombieszombie, zombies, walkers, walker, shamblers
- bloodsuckersmosquito, tick, flea, leech, bedbug
- Slavic folkloreBaba Yaga, vampire, Ivan, mora, Firebird
- Halloweenjack-o-lantern, trick or treating, haunted mansion, pumpkin, trick-or-treat
- horrorhorror, terror, fear, dread, haunted