famish

[ fam-ish ]
/ ˈfæm ɪʃ /

verb (used with or without object) Archaic.

to suffer or cause to suffer extreme hunger; starve.
to starve to death.

Origin of famish

1350–1400; Middle English famisshe, equivalent to famen to starve (< Anglo-French, Middle French afamer < Vulgar Latin *affamāre, equivalent to Latin af- af- + famāre, derivative of famēs hunger) + -isshe -ish2

Example sentences from the Web for famish

British Dictionary definitions for famish

famish
/ (ˈfæmɪʃ) /

verb

(now usually passive) to be or make very hungry or weak
archaic to die or cause to die from starvation
Irish to make very cold I was famished with the cold

Derived forms of famish

famishment, noun

Word Origin for famish

C14: from Old French afamer, via Vulgar Latin, from Latin famēs famine