behemoth

American  

[bih-hee-muhth, bee-uh-] / bɪˈhi məθ, ˈbi ə- /

noun

1. an animal, perhaps the hippopotamus, mentioned in the Bible.

2. any creature or thing of monstrous size or power.

   The army's new tank is a behemoth.

   The cartel is a behemoth that small business owners fear.

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behemoth British  

/ bɪˈhiːmɒθ /

noun

1. Old Testament a gigantic beast, probably a hippopotamus, described in Job 40:15

2. a huge or monstrous person or thing

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Usage

What is a behemoth? A behemoth is a thing or creature of enormous size or power, as in An elephant is a behemoth that even lions and rhinos are afraid of. The word Behemoth also refers to a monstrous creature from the Bible. In Job 40:15, an unknown large animal is referred to as a behemoth and is said to have immense power and eat grass. It is commonly thought that the animal being described is actually a hippopotamus. Example: The powerful company is a behemoth in the electronics industry, dominating the market. 

Pop Culture

— Behemoth: Thomas Hobbes's 1681 book on the English Civil Wars, from the Scottish revolution in 1637 to the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. —Behemoth: A character in The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Behemoth is a walking, talking, gun-toting black cat, and a demon in disguise. —Behemoth: A Polish rock band, playing what's known as blackened death metal, a mix of black metal and thrash metal music. —The Behemoth: A video game development company, creators of the popular video games Alien Hominid (2004) and Castle Crashers (2008). — Behemoth: The second book in Scott Westerfield’s steampunk young adult series, published in 2010.

Etymology

Origin of behemoth

1350–1400; from Hebrew bəhēmōth, an augmentative plural of bəhēmāh beast; replacing Middle English bemoth

Explanation

You can call both a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a massive telecommunications company a behemoth. The word means something big and powerful. Behemoth comes from the Hebrew word b'hemah meaning beast. You can use it to describe large animals or large entities that make you feel small and powerless when you have to confront them. If a behemoth of a moose charges your car, you deal with it, and then with a behemoth of an insurance company, where just finding who to talk to is nearly impossible.

Example Sentences

That model, called Behemoth, was never ultimately released.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

SkyDance's Behemoth threw players into a snowy landscape populated by giant creatures intent on stamping you out.

From BBC • May 31, 2024

Behemoth sequoias and jagged Joshua trees are among millions of trees across the state succumbing to worsening wildfires, severe drought, extreme heat, disease and other stressors that have been intensified by global warming.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2024

Behemoth media conglomerate Grupo Globo announced it would no longer name nor portray perpetrators of such crimes in its broadcasts or publications.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 22, 2023

The car is a very expensive one, a Whirlwind; better than the Chariot, much better than the chunky, practical Behemoth.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• beast
• leviathan
• monster