
Question: what is the definition of a "zombie" nowadays?
The original definition of a zombie was simply a corpse ressurected by magic that would do chores around the house for you. No cannibalism, infection, nothing.
Then came the Romero zombies, that popularized the classic corpse that comes back to life that eats humans and transforms other humans into zombies by biting and that can only be killed by headshots.
But some other kinds appeared. The 28 franchise zombies are not even corpses, they are alive and need their organs functioning to survive. They are not even cannibal they just really really want to punch or kick you to death or spit on you to keep the Rage Virus going. The Left 4 Dead "zombies" are also alive and not corpses if I am remembering it right.
There are even tech zombies now, like the Voteless in Helldivers 2: humans from Super Earth that are captured by aliens and injected and modified with nanomachines to be mindless hordes that kill eveything they see.
So, since the original and Romero definition of zombies can not always be applied to a lot of zombie like creatures nowadays, I ask you: what would be the "modern" definition of a zombie? That could encompass all variants under its description?
Excited to hear your answers!