behemoth

(Hebrew: buheemohth, "beast, beasts"; Latin: behemoth)

behemoth (bi HEE muhth, BEE uh muhth) (s) (noun), behemoths (pl)
1. Something which or someone who is enormous in size or power: Gerald was such a physical behemoth that he usually wrestled with at least three other opponents at the same time during TV shows, instead of just one, and they were never able to pin him down.

2. An exceptionally important person whose behavior and actions have a significant influence on the actions of other people: Alex was considered by the administers and colleagues of his company to be a behemoth of skills because he was a creator of new products that customers always found essential for their lives.
3. When capitalized, a huge animal or beast, possibly the hippopotamus: For a long time in the past, there were those who considered a Behemoth to be an elephant; others, a hippopotamus, a crocodile, etc.

The Behemoth is described in the Old Testament of the Bible at Job 40:15-16: "Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox. Behold his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly."

—From The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version;
Thomas Nelson & Sons; New York; 1953; page 560

4. Etymology: from Hebrew, buheemah, singular; buheemoth, plural; expressing the magnitude or extraordinary size and strength of a "beast" or "beasts"; borrowed into Latin behemoth; and then Middle English behemoth, bemoth.

Behemoth, noun, in Hebrew, signifies beasts in general, particularly the larger kind, fit for service. But in the Bible, Job speaks of an animal, which he calls behemoth, and describes its particular properties as large, in chapter 40, verse 15.

Bochart has taken much care to make it appear to be the hippopotamus, or river-horse.

Sanctius thinks it is an ox. The Fathers, suppose the devil to be meant by it.

But we agree with the generality of interpreters, in their opinion, that it is the elephant.

—Compiled from information located in
A dictionary of the English Language by Samuel Johnson;
Published by W. Strahan; London, England; 1755.
An enormous creature of great strength.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

behemothialy (bi" hee MUTH uh li) (adverb), more behemothialy, most behemothialy
A reference to an extraordinarily incredible size: Ted's dictionary was considered to be a behemothialy huge publication of its type that users could utilize to find the meanings of multitudes of words that do not even exist in any other voluminous lexicons.

As a very popular actor, Jacob's movies continue to attract behemothialy large crowds to all of the theaters wherever they are shown.

behemothian (bi" hee MUTH ee uhn) (adjective), more behemothian, most behemothian
Pertaining to something that is extremely large and overwhelming: Monroe made a behemothian blunder when he quit his job; especially, since he could not find another one nearly as good as the one he left.

There is a popular notion that behemothian dinosaurs were so ponderous and lumbering that their great hulks and weights prevented them from roaming very far from where they were born.

A behemothian corporation is a very large business company or organization.

behemothic (bi" hee MUHTH ik) (adjective), more behemothic, most behemothic
1. Descriptive of something immense; especially, an unreasonably uncaring organization: Many shoppers are now more loyal to their local stores than to some of the behemothic places that show no particular interest in their customers.
2. Conveying an immense and stupendous stature or body: David's brother was a behemothic football linesman who terrorized opponents during games and helped to have unusually high scores for his team.

The cartoon is an example of a behemothic creature.

Descriptive of something that is very large or colossal.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

behemothical (bi" hee MUTH i kuhl) (adjective), more behemothical, most behemothical
A reference to anyone or anything that is titanical or colossal in size or strength: Richard's construction company used more behemothical vehicles for getting substantially voluminous amounts of gravel and other materials for their road building, bridge constructions, dams, and other massive structures.

The behemothical snow storms in parts of the country have resulted in thousands of flight cancellations.