A famine is a severe shortage of food or purchasing power leading to excess mortality from starvation or hunger-induced diseases. It creates a vicious cycle where hunger, disease, and poverty contribute to escalating levels of death. Cormac O'Grada defines a famine as a daily death rate above one per 10,000 people, a proportion of wasted children above 20%, and the prevalence of quashor core due to extreme malnutrition. Severe famine is characterized by a daily death rate above five per 10,000, a proportion of wasted children above 40%, and the presence of quashor core. These conditions are not common in a food-secure population, marking a clear distinction between famine and malnutrition, and are critical indicators of food security.