behemoth

noun

be·​he·​moth bi-ˈhē-məth  ˈbē-ə-məth 

-ˌmäth, 

-ˌmȯth

often attributive

1

often Behemoth religion : a mighty animal described in Job 40:15–24 as an example of the power of God

2

: something of monstrous size, power, or appearance

a behemoth truck

Did you know?

In the biblical book of Job, Behemoth is the name of a powerful grass-eating, river-dwelling beast with bones likened to bronze pipes and limbs likened to iron bars. Scholars have speculated that the biblical creature was inspired by the hippopotamus, but details about the creature’s exact nature are vague. The word first passed from the Hebrew word bĕhēmōth into Late Latin (the Latin used by writers in the third to sixth centuries), where, according to 15th century English poet and monk John Lydgate it referred to "a beast rude full of cursednesse." In modern English, behemoth functions as an evocative term for something of monstrous size, power, or appearance.

Synonyms of behemoth

• giant
• whale
• monster
• dinosaur
• mammoth

Examples of behemoth in a Sentence

the newest SUV is a gas-guzzling behemoth that doesn't even fit in a standard parking space

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, in May, Northwell Health of New York merged with Connecticut’s Nuvance to become a 28-hospital behemoth with over 1,000 outpatient clinics. —Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025

In a battle of NFC behemoths, the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (7-2) escaped Green Bay with a 10-7 win. —Chris Branch, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025

Top of these is the question of the continued existence of the African behemoth itself in its current form. —Kingsley Moghalu, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025

The flare suggests there are unknown populations of giant stars near the centers of large galaxies, which also host supermassive black holes — and sheds light on the complicated interactions between two behemoths. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin, from Hebrew bĕhēmōth

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

behemoth

noun

be·​he·​moth bi-ˈhē-məth  ˈbē-ə-ˌməth 

-ˌmäth, 

-ˌmȯth

1

often capitalized : an animal described in the Bible that is probably the hippopotamus

2

: something of monstrous size or power