Here's why:
* Complexity: While the meaning is relatively straightforward (extremely hungry), it's a less common word than "hungry" or "starving."
* Usage: It's not a word used in everyday conversation as frequently, so students may not encounter it regularly.
* Figurative Language: It has a slightly more dramatic connotation than "hungry," suggesting a desperate need for food.
While younger children might understand the meaning with context clues, "famished" is typically introduced and reinforced in later elementary and middle school grades when vocabulary development focuses on expanding word knowledge beyond basic terms.