'drought' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'drouth' or 'drought', formed from the adjective 'dry' plus the noun-forming suffix '-th', where 'dry' meant 'without moisture'.

'drought' changed from Old English 'drūgath' (also recorded as 'drūgðu' or 'drūgþu'), through Middle English forms like 'drouth'/'drought', and eventually became the modern English word 'drought'.

Initially it meant 'dryness' in general, but over time it evolved into its current primary meaning of 'a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall' and later broadened figuratively to mean 'a lack or scarcity' of something.