This week’s theme
Words borrowed from Hebrew

This week’s words
tohubohu
behemoth
leviathan
manna
gehenna

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(bi-HEE-muth, BEE-uh-)

MEANING:

noun:
1. A huge or monstrous creature.
2. Something large and powerful, as an organization.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Hebrew behemoth, plural of behemah (beast). Earliest documented use: 1382. Behemoth is a huge beast mentioned in the Book of Job 40:15-24.

USAGE:

“The fears were plenty: that customers would end up paying more for declining service; that the industry behemoth would use its heft to stifle competition.”
Emily Steel, et al; Comcast Is Said to Abandon Bid for Major Rival; The New York Times; Apr 24, 2015.

See more usage examples of behemoth in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: