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

Perhaps nobody embodies artificial intelligence mania quite like Jensen Huang, the chief executive of chip behemoth Nvidia, which has seen its value spike 300% in the last two years. —Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025

The sky-high valuations of the Silicon Valley tech behemoth and other big players in the AI race have made investors ponder whether and when their bet on technology’s future will pay off. —The Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 22 Nov. 2025

But for this revamp, out now on vinyl, CD and streaming, Martin’s son Giles is the architect behind the various remasters and stereo processing (a subtle spread of the mono signal) for the 191-song behemoth. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025

Both French giant Total Energies and US behemoth Exxon Mobil have invested heavily in the planned Afungi plants near Palma. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 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