behemoth

noun

be·​he·​moth bi-ˈhē-məth  ˈbē-ə-məth 

-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

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

• 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

The deal, finalized this week, creates a retail behemoth with more than 3,200 stores across 20 countries and an unlikely coming together of a global brand and Dick’s, which has traditionally been seen as America’s go-to sporting goods chain. —Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

Conan Gray’s ‘denim behemoth’ Thick, heavy and water-absorbent — denim is, frankly, a sailor’s nightmare. —Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025

Bessent had reportedly heard from several people that Pulte — whose grandfather pioneered the home-construction behemoth PulteGroup — had been badmouthing him to Trump, the outlet stated. —Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

City officials hired a company to knock down the brick behemoth months after a late-night fire ravaged the building in June 2024, but what to do with the city real estate has remained unclear. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 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