# famine

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfæmɪn/ · frequency rank #12,773

## Definitions
1. Extreme shortage of food in a region.
2. A period of extreme shortage of food in a region.
3. Starvation or malnutrition.
4. Severe shortage or lack of something.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French famine, itself from the root of Latin fames. Cognate with Spanish hambruna (“famine”).

## Easily confused with
- **fine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-fine)
- **feline** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-feline)
- **fuming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-fuming)
- **farina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-farina)
- **faring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-faring)
- **farming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-farming)
- **framing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-framing)
- **flaming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-flaming)
- **foaming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/famine-vs-foaming)
- **fame** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fame-vs-famine)
- **faint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/faint-vs-famine)
- **facie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/facie-vs-famine)
- **family** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/family-vs-famine)
- **facing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/facing-vs-famine)
- **fading** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fading-vs-famine)
- **faking** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/faking-vs-famine)
- **facile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/facile-vs-famine)

## Common misspellings (8)
`afmine`, `faimne`, `famien`, `faminne`, `fammine`, `famnie`, `ffamine`, `fmaine`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/famine