famine
[ fam-in ]
/ ˈfæm ɪn /
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noun
extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area.
any extreme and general scarcity.
extreme hunger; starvation.
SYNONYMS FOR famine
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Origin of famine
Words nearby famine
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for famine
famine
/ (ˈfæmɪn) /
noun
a severe shortage of food, as through crop failure or overpopulation
acute shortage of anything
violent hunger
Word Origin for famine
C14: from Old French, via Vulgar Latin, from Latin famēs hunger
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Idioms and Phrases with famine
famine
see feast or famine.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.