famine Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an acute insufficiency
    dearth; shortage.
  2. noun a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death

WordNet

Fam"ine noun
Etymology
F. famine, fr. L. fames hunger; cf. Gr. want, need, Skr. hani loss, lack, ha to leave.
Definitions
  1. General scarcity of food; dearth; a want of provisions; destitution. "Worn with famine." Milton.
    There was a famine in the land. Gen. xxvi. 1.

Webster 1913