French Conversation · Level 154
30 words
French word
affamer
Pronunciation
IPA/afame/
Meaning
- verbstarve
Example
Il ne faut pas affamer les animaux.
The animals must not be starved.
More examples
Le conflit peut affamer des familles entières.
The conflict can starve entire families.
Core concept
A person or animal left without food until hunger makes the body weak.
Common phrases
affamer quelqu'un
starve someone
affamer des familles entières
starve entire families
Similar words
priver: To deprive someone of food or another necessity.
nourrir: To give food to a person or animal to nourish and satisfy hunger.
s'affamer: To become very hungry by reducing the amount of food eaten.
Definition in French
Priver quelqu'un ou un animal de nourriture, provoquer sa faim.
Word origin
Affamer comes through Old French afamer from a form built on Latin fames, 'hunger', with the prefix ad-.
Usage tips
- Affamer normally takes a direct object, as in affamer les animaux; avoir faim describes the subject's own hunger.