Famine Meaning
/ˈfæmɪn/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounExtreme shortage of food in a region.
nounA period of extreme shortage of food in a region.
Sentence Examples
The prospect of famine hangs over many areas of the world.
Because of the famine, the cattle starved to death.
Reports conflicted on how much of the aid was reaching the famine victims.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The prolonged drought led to a devastating ____ across the region.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The severe drought led to a widespread ____, leaving thousands of people without enough food.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Middle French famine, itself from the root of Latin fames. Cognate with Spanish hambruna (“famine”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It was reserved for Christians to torture bread, the staff of life, bread for which children in whole districts wail, bread, the gift of pasture to the poor, bread, for want of which thousands of our fellow beings annually perish by famine; it was reserved for Christians to torture the material of bread by fire, to create a chemical and maddening poison, burning up the brain and brutalizing the soul, and producing evils to humanity, in comparison of which, war, pestilence, and famine, cease to be evils."
— 1831 July 15, “Of the Blood”, in Western Journal of Health, volume 4, number 1, L. B. Lincoln, page 38:
"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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The prolonged drought led to a devastating ____ across the region.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The severe drought led to a widespread ____, leaving thousands of people without enough food.