behemoth

noun

be·​he·​moth bi-ˈhē-məth How to pronounce behemoth (audio) ˈbē-ə-məth How to pronounce behemoth (audio)
-ˌmäth,
-ˌmȯth
often attributive
1
often capitalized 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

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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.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Our political campaign system is disjointed and complex, and our government is a behemoth filled with thousands of actors and arcane processes. Andrew Frank, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 That is leading to less frequent competition, which is not helpful for a sport that has long struggled to find a foothold among the behemoths of the NFL and the NBA. Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025 These behemoths are primarily technology firms, which dominate the upper echelons of the index due to their growth in areas like AI, cloud computing, and digital services. Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025 Many have compared the silhouette to the once-fashionable Balenciaga Triple-S, another behemoth of a sneaker. Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for behemoth

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin, from Hebrew bĕhēmōth

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of behemoth was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Behemoth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behemoth. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

behemoth

noun
be·​he·​moth bi-ˈhē-məth How to pronounce behemoth (audio) ˈbē-ə-ˌməth How to pronounce behemoth (audio)
-ˌmäth,
-ˌmȯth
1
often capitalized : an animal described in the Bible that is probably the hippopotamus
2
: something of monstrous size or power

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