starvation

[stahr-vey-shuh n] /stɑrˈveɪ ʃən/
noun
1.
the act or state of starving; condition of being starved.
adjective
2.
liable or seeming to cause starving:
a starvation diet.
Origin
1770-80; starve + -ation
Examples from the web for starvation
  • Crisis situations contribute to hunger and starvation.
  • Lack of calories-hunger-is a headline-grabber, particularly as rising food prices push more people towards starvation.
  • They would suffer frostbite, snow blindness, and starvation.
  • Have the non-beggars sit down, as they have gone out hunting or are weak from starvation.
  • Many of the afflicted animals subsequently die of starvation.
  • Without enough ice, the bears risk being trapped on land, where they face starvation.
  • Afflicted animals generally die of starvation within six months.
  • Once covered in oil, the birds are forced to move ashore where they are at risk of starvation.
  • Fay's diary includes stories of close encounters with animals, near-starvation, and disease.
  • Those that weren't killed in the fires faced starvation.
British Dictionary definitions for starvation

starvation

/stɑːˈveɪʃən/
noun
1.
  1. the act or an instance of starving or state of being starved
  2. (as modifier): a starvation diet, starvation wages
Word Origin and History for starvation
n.

1778, noun of action from starve. Famously introduced in English by Henry Dundas during debate in the House of Commons in 1775 on American affairs. It earned him the nickname "Starvation Dundas," though sources disagree on whether this was given in objection to the harshness of his suggestion of starving the rebels into submission or in derision at the barbarous formation of the word. It is one of the earliest instances of -ation used with a native Germanic word.

As to Lord Chatham, the victories, conquests, extension of our empire within these last five years, will annihilate his fame of course, and he may be replaced by Starvation Dundas, whose pious policy suggested that the devil of rebellion could be expelled only by fasting, though that never drove him out of Scotland. [Horace Walpole, letter to the Rev. William Mason, April 25, 1781]

starvation in Medicine

starvation star·va·tion (stär-vā'shən)
n.

  1. The act or process of starving.

  2. The condition of being starved.