famine

noun

fam·​ine ˈfa-mən 

1

: an extreme scarcity of food

The famine affected most of the country.

2

archaic : starvation

3

archaic : a ravenous appetite

4

: a great shortage

Transportation problems resulted in a coal famine.

Synonyms of famine

• shortage
• lack
• drought

Examples of famine in a Sentence

The famine affected half the continent.

millions killed by war, drought, and famine

Recent Examples on the Web

The year and a half long blockade of some 250,000 civilians has led to starvation and famine. —NPR, 30 Oct. 2025

David Lawrence Jr, who is also the former publisher of the Miami Herald, spoke of how his own mother’s ancestors arrived in 1620 and how his father’s family had left Ireland during the potato famine during the 19th century. —Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025

But Israel’s decision to sharply limit and sometimes entirely block aid to Gaza pushed the enclave into famine this year. —Lydia Polgreen, Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2025

Halloween grew in popularity in America during the 1840s with the mass migration of Scottish and Irish immigrants fleeing the potato famine, Morton said. —Chris Kenning, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from feim, faim hunger, from Latin fames

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for famine

• gammon
• mammon
• backgammon
• examen
• examine
• glutamine
• reexamine

Kids Definition

famine

noun

fam·​ine ˈfam-ən 

1

: an extreme general shortage of food

2

: a great shortage