behemoth

noun

be·​he·​moth bi-ˈhē-məth  ˈbē-ə-məth 

-ˌmäth, 

-ˌmȯth

often attributive

1

usually 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

These cosmic behemoths can tell us more about our own Milky Way galaxy’s history and the universe’s evolution over time. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026

The $8 billion merger with All3Media completed last month resulting in the behemoth Banijay Entertainment, which is headquartered in London and jointly owned by the Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, with each holding a 50% stake. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026

By 2021, the Warning had the chance to officially record Metallica’s behemoth hit (with Alessia Cara) for inclusion on the tribute album The Metallica Blacklist. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026

As part of a landmark settlement in a social media addiction case, the tech behemoth pledged to impose daily limits on use by teens and enhance its age verification measures, among other steps. — Yasmin Vossoughian, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026

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