HOW TO PRONOUNCE
famine
/ˈfæm.ən/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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What does famine mean?
noun
- Extreme shortage of food in a region.
- A period of extreme shortage of food in a region.
- Severe shortage or lack of something.
More meanings (2)
proper noun
- The personification of famine, often depicted riding a black horse.
noun
- (dated) Starvation or malnutrition.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈfæm.ən/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
The Outside dogs, whose digestions had not been trained by chronic famine to make the most of little, had voracious appetites.
Besides, it would be difficult to say which, free trade or the maximum, causes the more evil in times of famine.
More book examples (3)
The name of this singularly unpromising and truly famine stricken district is Tuckahoe, a name well known to all Marylanders, black and white.
"Foreign nations shall invade England with snow on their helmets, and shall bring plague, famine, and murder in the skirts of their garments."
This plague and famine would sweep off a third of the population, and the rest could then raise food enough to thrive on.