Word
behemoth
Phoneticsbe·he·moth, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbihəməθ/
UK/bɪhˈiːmɒθ/
Definition
n. a very large and powerful company or organization. It is often used to describe a business that is so big it seems like it controls everything in its industry.
n. a large, powerful, and influential entity, typically a corporation or organization. Often carries a connotation of being a dominant force that is difficult to challenge or regulate.
Examples
“The tech giant is a true behemoth in the global market.”
“As a market behemoth, the company has the resources to outlast smaller competitors during economic downturns.”
“Regulators are increasingly concerned that the digital behemoth's monopoly status stifles innovation and limits consumer choice across the entire sector.”
Examples
simple
“The tech giant is a true behemoth in the global market.”
contextual
“As a market behemoth, the company has the resources to outlast smaller competitors during economic downturns.”
complex
“Regulators are increasingly concerned that the digital behemoth's monopoly status stifles innovation and limits consumer choice across the entire sector.”
Real-World Examples
“The likes of Miramax, New Line Cinema and October Films challenged the ageing behemoths of the industry and pushed forward offbeat directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Darren Aronofsky and Jane Campion.” “Jerry Seinfeld’s Bee Movie was actually a much funnier and more ingenious comedy about cartoon creatures suing corporate behemoths.” “According to Ehret, “it’s just not gonna happen.” Science is probably even further from cloning these bitey behemoths into existence than, say, a Tyrannosaurus rex.” Etymology
From Middle English behemoth, bemoth, from Late Latin behemoth, from Hebrew בְּהֵמוֹת (behemót). Most likely, the Hebrew word is an intensive plural of בְּהֵמָה (behemá, “beast”), from Proto-Semitic (compare Ge'ez ብህመ (bəhmä, “to be dumb, to be speechless”), Arabic ب ه م (b h m)). Some have instead suggested a borrowing from a hypothetical Egyptian pA-i-H-E1-mw (*pꜣ-jḥ-mw, “hippopotamus”, literally “the ox of the water”), from pꜣ (“definite article”) + jḥ (“ox, cattle”) + mw (“water”) in a direct genitive construction (for the pronunciation, compare the later Coptic descendants ⲡ- (p-) + ⲉϩⲉ (ehe) + ⲙⲟⲟⲩ (moou)); this, however, suffers from problems such as the lack of attestation of the supposed etymon, and there seems little reason to prefer it to the intensive plural explanation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/behemoth