hunger

hun-ger · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    The uncomfortable or painful sensation caused by lack of food; the desire or need for food.

  2. 2.

    A strong desire or craving for something.

  3. 3.

    A severe lack of food affecting a population.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    hunger strike — A refusal to eat as a form of protest
  • •
    hunger pangs — Sharp pains in the stomach from hunger
  • •
    hunger for — To have a strong desire for something

Related words

Antonyms: fullness, satiety
See also: appetite, famine, hungry, starve
Synonyms: appetite, craving, famine, starvation

Etymology

From Old English hungor, from Proto-Germanic hungruz, related to Old High German hungar.