noun
zombie
A finished computer process whose record remains in the system.
The administrator finds a zombie whose parent has not collected its exit status.
Etymology
The computing metaphor describes something finished that still has a presence. The process has ended, but its retained record remains like a body not yet removed.
More examples
- The zombie no longer executed instructions.
- Several zombies remained listed in the process table.
- The diagnostic tool distinguished zombies from running processes.
Forms
zombie · zombies