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.
Israel barred all food and other supplies from entering Gaza for 2 ½ months pending the start of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — a blockade that has brought the population to the brink of famine. Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025 Palestinians in Gaza remain at risk of extreme starvation and famine, the United Nations and other aid groups have warned. Morgan Winsor, ABC News, 7 June 2025 The other 14 countries on the council voted in favor of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month. Michelle Nichols, USA Today, 5 June 2025 Colonization lasted for more than a century, bringing with it mass murder, famine, disease, displacement, and the settlement of more than a million Europeans on Algerian soil. Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 2 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 11 Jun. 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

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