English Explanatory Dictionary

famine

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Extreme shortage of food in a region.
  2. A period of extreme shortage of food in a region.
  3. Starvation or malnutrition.
  4. Severe shortage or lack of something.
name
  1. The personification of famine, often depicted riding a black horse.

Pronunciation

/ˈfæmɪn/ en-us-famine.ogg

Word forms

famine famines

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French famine, itself from the root of Latin fames. Cognate with Spanish hambruna (“famine”).

Synonyms

the black rider

Derived words

antifamine famine bread faminee famine fever famine food faminelike famine resistant famine weed feast or famine famine or feast nuclear famine postfamine prefamine time famine
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