What does hunger mean?
Hunger means the uncomfortable physical condition that results from not having enough food, including weakness, discomfort, or an urgent need to eat. It can also describe a strong and persistent desire for something beyond food, as in “a hunger for knowledge” or “a hunger for adventure.” The physical meaning is everyday and generally neutral, while the figurative use often conveys determination, ambition, or a deep personal need. Because hunger often implies a continuing lack rather than a brief feeling of wanting a snack, the word can carry serious or urgent associations. The figurative expression is especially useful in writing because it gives abstract desires physical force, suggesting that the object sought is not merely pleasant but genuinely needed.
A feeling of physical discomfort or weakness caused by a lack of food; also, figuratively, a strong or persistent desire for something.
"The charity exists to relieve hunger among families in the region."
The physical sense is usually uncountable. The figurative sense commonly follows the pattern "a hunger for" something.
To experience hunger; figuratively, to have a strong or persistent desire for something.
"The young artist hungered for a life of freedom and adventure."
The verb is less common in everyday speech and is more often encountered in literary, formal, or historical contexts.
The plural is uncommon for the physical sense but can refer to separate instances or experiences of hunger, especially in figurative or literary contexts.
"They spoke openly about their hungers for recognition and independence."
The word hunger has survived from Old English, where it already described the body's urgent demand for food.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hunger come from?
The word comes from Old English hungor, meaning hunger or lack of food, and is related to Old English hūngrig, the source of modern “hungry.” Both words reflect a Germanic root associated with feeling hungry or suffering from hunger. The modern figurative sense developed naturally by analogy, allowing a person to hunger for knowledge, power, or other abstractions.
Related word forms
How hunger is actually used
In its physical sense, hunger is normally used with a singular article or an uncountable form: "He was suffering from hunger." The figurative sense, especially "a hunger for" something, is common in formal and literary contexts.