Main Entry: fam·ish

Pronunciation: \ˈfa-mish\

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English, probably alteration of famen, from Anglo-French afamer, from Vulgar Latin *affamare, from Latin ad- + fames

Date: 15th century

transitive verb 1 : to cause to suffer severely from hunger
2 archaic : to cause to starve to deathintransitive verb 1 archaic : starve
2 : to suffer for lack of something necessary <a moment when French poetry in particular was famishing for such invention — T. S. Eliot>

— fam·ish·ment \-mənt\ noun