starvation
star-VAY-shun
/stɑːˈveɪʃn/
Suffering or death caused by hunger.
This is the most extreme form of malnutrition. It is often used figuratively in casual speech ('I'm starving!'), but its literal meaning is grave.
The story behind the word. From the Old English 'steorfan,' which originally meant simply 'to die' (related to the German 'sterben'). Over time, the meaning narrowed specifically to dying from hunger or cold.
Word relationships
- famine: Famine is the societal event; starvation is the individual physical suffering.
- satiety: The feeling or state of being sated or full.
Commonly confused with
- malnutrition: Malnutrition can be a slow, chronic process of poor health; starvation is the acute, lethal lack of calories.
Word family
- starve (verb): To suffer or die from hunger.
- starving (adjective): Very hungry.
Collocations
- die of starvation
- brink of starvation
- mass starvation
- starvation wages
Idioms & expressions
- starve the fever
Example sentences
- "The blockade has pushed thousands of civilians to the brink of starvation." Humanitarian crisis.
- "During starvation, the body begins to consume its own muscle tissue for energy." Biology textbook.
Memory hook
Starvation: You see 'Stars' because you are so dizzy from hunger. Starvation = Dying of hunger.
When not to use
Be careful using it figuratively around people who have experienced actual food insecurity.
Fun facts
- The phrase 'starvation wages' refers to pay that is so low the worker cannot afford enough food to stay healthy.
Related words
Explore more words
penury, destitute, privation, catastrophic, subsistence, deprived
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