famine
- extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area.
- any extreme and general scarcity.
- extreme hunger; starvation.
Origin of famine
Synonyms for famine
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for famine
drought, starvation, poverty, scarcity, misery, paucity, destitution, want, dearthExamples from the Web for famine
Contemporary Examples of famine
She recalls that during the famine her father illegally sold gold and silver.
How ‘Titanic ’Helped This Brave Young Woman Escape North Korea’s Totalitarian StateLizzie Crocker
October 31, 2014
“These people were coming here from tragic situations of war and famine in search of a better life,” he told The Daily Beast.
Famine and frigid temperatures ensued, and roughly 10 percent of the population died.
At other times, North Korea might want aid economic and food concessions, especially during periods of hardship and famine.
Famine will stalk the land and as many as seven million people will confront extreme food insecurity—in short, starvation.
Historical Examples of famine
That morning a rumor had reached the village of a famine in the island of Crete.
Ancient ManHendrik Willem van Loon
That was in case of an enemy or a famine when the people might be tempted to eat it.
The Trail BookMary Austin
I could have pronounced him, alone, to be a young man aged by famine and sickness.
The Uncommercial TravellerCharles Dickens
This is the usual result of feast after famine, and was to be expected.
The Long Labrador TrailDillon Wallace
In the worst pinches of the famine he stole back to the fires of the gods.
White FangJack London
famine
- a severe shortage of food, as through crop failure or overpopulation
- acute shortage of anything
- violent hunger
Word Origin for famine
Word Origin and History for famine
mid-14c., from Old French famine "hunger" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *famina, from Latin fames "hunger, starvation, famine," of unknown origin.
Idioms and Phrases with famine
famine
see feast or famine.