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.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, the global benefit concert organized by Bob Geldof to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia that featured dozens of musicians in London and Philadelphia simultaneously. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 July 2025 The 21-month war has left much of Gaza's population of over 2 million reliant on outside aid while food security experts warn of famine. Wafaa Shurafa, arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025 The 21-month war has left much of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million reliant on outside aid while food security experts warn of famine. Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025 An 11-week Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid earlier in the year pushed the enclave’s population of more than 2 million Palestinians towards famine and into a deepening humanitarian crisis. Kareem Khadder, CNN Money, 9 July 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 21 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
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