Word
famine
US/ˈfæmən/
UK/fˈæmɪn/
Definitions
01extreme food shortage
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a long period of time when there is not enough food for the people living in an area.
n. an extreme and general scarcity of food within a geographic region, often caused by crop failure, war, or economic collapse.
“The country suffered a terrible famine after three years without any rain for the crops.”
“The historical records suggest that the famine was exacerbated by poor infrastructure, which prevented the efficient distribution of grain to the hardest-hit provinces.”
Usage
Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific historical event.
Synonyms
02shortage of something else
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a situation where there is a lack of something important, not just food.
n. a metaphorical extension referring to a severe lack or shortage of a non-food resource.
“The tech industry is facing a famine of skilled workers right now.”
“After a decade of creative abundance, the film industry entered a period of artistic famine, with few original scripts reaching production.”
Usage
Typically follows the pattern 'a famine of [noun]'.
Teaching tip
This is a figurative use; in everyday conversation, 'shortage' is much more common.
Synonyms
03mythological figure
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Religion Literary
n. a character in old stories who represents hunger, often shown riding a black horse.
n. the personification of hunger and scarcity, specifically as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
“In the old painting, Famine is shown as a thin man on a dark horse.”
“The artist depicted Famine with a pair of weighing scales, symbolising the extreme price of wheat during times of great scarcity.”
Usage
Usually capitalised when referring to the personified figure.
Teaching tip
This sense is specific to theological or literary discussions of the Four Horsemen.
Real-World Examples
“Another woman tells how last year, at the time of famine, "a man married off his 14-year-old daughter in exchange for two bags of flour so he and his [other] children could eat".” “Many fear a return to the full-scale civil war that killed 150,000 and brought many others to the brink of famine.” Etymology
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.
Idioms
01. feast or famine
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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