famine
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a long period of time when there is not enough food for the people living in an area.
an extreme and general scarcity of food within a geographic region, often caused by crop failure, war, or economic collapse.
Simple“The country suffered a terrible famine after three years without any rain for the crops.”
In context“The historical records suggest that the famine was exacerbated by poor infrastructure, which prevented the efficient distribution of grain to the hardest-hit provinces.”
UsageOften used with the definite article when referring to a specific historical event.
- 02 C1 Advanced
a situation where there is a lack of something important, not just food.
a metaphorical extension referring to a severe lack or shortage of a non-food resource.
Simple“The tech industry is facing a famine of skilled workers right now.”
In context“After a decade of creative abundance, the film industry entered a period of artistic famine, with few original scripts reaching production.”
UsageTypically follows the pattern 'a famine of [noun]'.
Teacher's tipThis is a figurative use; in everyday conversation, 'shortage' is much more common.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a character in old stories who represents hunger, often shown riding a black horse.
the personification of hunger and scarcity, specifically as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Simple“In the old painting, Famine is shown as a thin man on a dark horse.”
In context“The artist depicted Famine with a pair of weighing scales, symbolising the extreme price of wheat during times of great scarcity.”
UsageUsually capitalised when referring to the personified figure.
Teacher's tipThis sense is specific to theological or literary discussions of the Four Horsemen.
Borrowed from Middle French famine, itself from the root of Latin fames. Cognate with Spanish hambruna (“famine”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.