Etymology
From Middle English sterven, from Old English steorfan (to die), from Proto-Germanic *sterbanÄ… (to become stiff, die), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)terp- (to lose strength, become numb, be motionless), or from Proto-Indo-European *sterbÊ°- (to become stiff), from *ster- (stiff), or a conflation of the aforementioned. Cognate with Scots sterve (to die, perish), Saterland Frisian stjerwa (to die), West Frisian stjerre (to die), Dutch sterven (to die), Low German starven (to die), German sterben (to die), Icelandic stirfinn (peevish, froward), Albanian shterp (sterile, unproductive, barren land), + suffix -ation.
Noun
starvation (countable and uncountable, plural starvations)
- A condition of severe suffering due to a lack of nutrition.
- Severe shortage of resources.
- (computer science) A state where a process is perpetually denied necessary resources to process its work.
Derived terms
- mass starvation
Credits
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