drought

When it doesn’t rain for a very long time and the natural supply of water becomes limited, this is known as a drought. The word "drought" is a noun in these sentences:

• A drought in the Horn of Africa resulted in widespread famine* in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
• Farmers in California are having trouble growing crops because of the drought in that state.
• Droughts around the world cause people to move in search of food and water.
• After several years of drought, our area has received enough rain to officially declare that the drought is over.

You can also use "drought" as an adjective:

• Drought restrictions were put in place to preserve water.

drought

*famine: a lack of food and water. People often die when a famine is severe.

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First published on June 28, 2014.