famine
See also: Famine
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French famine, itself from the root of Latin fames. Cognate with Spanish hambruna (“famine”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈfæmɪn/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -æmɪn
- Hyphenation: fam‧ine
Noun
famine (countable and uncountable, plural famines)
- (uncountable) extreme shortage of food in a region
- 1971, Central Institute of Research & Training in Public Cooperation
- Dr. Bhatia pointed out that famine had occurred in all ages and in all societies where means of communication and transport were not developed.
- 1971, Central Institute of Research & Training in Public Cooperation
- (countable) a period of extreme shortage of food in a region
- 1986, United States Congress, House Select Committee on Hunger, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa, Famine and Recovery in Africa
- The root causes of the current famine are known: poverty, low health standards....
- 1986, United States Congress, House Select Committee on Hunger, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa, Famine and Recovery in Africa
- (dated) starvation or malnutrition
- 1871 (orig. 426), Augustine, The City of God, transl. Marcus Dods:
- His own flesh, however, which he lost by famine, shall be restored to him by Him who can recover even what has evaporated.
- 1871 (orig. 426), Augustine, The City of God, transl. Marcus Dods:
- severe shortage or lack of something
Translations
extreme shortage of food in a region
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a period of extreme shortage of food in a region
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French
Etymology
From Middle French and Old French famine, formed from the root of Latin famēs (“hunger”) with the suffix -ine.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /fa.min/
Audio (file)
Related terms
Further reading
- “famine” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Old French
Related terms
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