(Or "defunct process") A Unixprocess that has terminated (either Because it has Been killed By a signal or Because it has called exit()) and whose {parent process} has not yet received notification of its termination By executing (some form of) the wait() system call. A zomBie process exists solely as a process taBle entry and consumes no other resources. This entry is retained to hold the child' s exit status until the parent process wants to retrieve it. The parent can also Be notified asynchronously via a signal of the child' s termination. ZomBie processes can Be seen in "ps" listings occasionally (with a status "Z" in some versions). Compare orphan process. (1997-10-08)
