famine

noun

fam·​ine ˈfa-mən How to pronounce famine (audio)
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.

Examples of famine in a Sentence

The famine affected half the continent. millions killed by war, drought, and famine
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In late-May, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli and U.S.-backed group, began distributing aid in the enclave that the World Food Programme warns is on the brink of famine. Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025 Experts say Israel’s blockade and military campaign have driven the population to the brink of famine. Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025 Israel responded with an invasion of the Palestinian enclave to root out Hamas from tunnels and other fortifications that has left over 55,000 people dead, much of Gaza in ruins and its population of 2.1 million at risk of famine, according to the World Health Organization. Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 24 June 2025 Part of our military history includes the great American Relief Administration, where Army officers worked to save lives from famine after World War I. William Lambers, Baltimore Sun, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for famine

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of famine was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/famine. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

famine

noun
fam·​ine ˈfam-ən How to pronounce famine (audio)
1
: an extreme general shortage of food
2
: a great shortage

More from Merriam-Webster on famine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!