WordGarden.ioleviathan
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /lɛvˈaɪəθən/
US
- /ləˈvaɪəθən/
Meanings
Noun
something enormous and powerful, especially a very large organization, state, or thing
Proper-noun
the enormous sea monster described in the Bible and later mythic tradition
Beyond the definition
The Leviathan first appeared as a huge sea monster in ancient stories and in the Bible, often pictured as a giant serpent or whale-like beast of great power. Over time, "leviathan" came to mean anything extremely large and powerful, especially something that feels hard to control. It is not only about size; it also suggests strength, danger, or a heavy presence. You might use it for a giant company, a powerful government, or a vast machine. The word is also strongly linked to Thomas Hobbes' book Leviathan, where it stands for the state as a great ruling power.
Originally appearing in ancient Hebrew texts and mythology, the Leviathan was imagined as a fearsome sea monster, often described as serpent-like or whale-like and enormous in size and strength. In the Bible, especially in Job 41, it appears as a creature so powerful that human beings cannot master it, which helps show the greatness of God's power.
However, leviathan has moved far beyond its original literal meaning. Today, it is mainly used as a metaphor for anything extraordinarily large, powerful, or overwhelming. The word often suggests something difficult to manage, control, or resist. People may use it for a huge corporation, a powerful state, a military system, or any other force that seems vast and imposing.
Thomas Hobbes famously used Leviathan as the title of his 1651 work on political philosophy, using it to represent the powerful state needed to keep social order. In that sense, the word does not always mean something evil. It can describe a force so great that people must answer to it.
So, while its roots lie in stories of an ancient sea monster, leviathan now brings to mind immense size, great power, and something beyond easy control, whether natural, political, economic, or mechanical. It is a vivid word for anything that feels enormous, commanding, and hard to stop.
Examples
- 1
Mythical creature
In the old tale, a leviathan rises from the deep and frightens the sailors.
- 2
Huge ship
From the dock, the cruise ship looked like a leviathan.
- 3
Business power
Small bookstores struggled to compete with online retail leviathans.
- 4
Bureaucracy
The reformers wanted to shrink what they saw as a bureaucratic leviathan.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- juggernaut
- monolith
- goliath
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- corporate leviathan
- bureaucratic leviathan
- state leviathan
Word family
- leviathans
- leviathanic
Explore
- power concentration
- institutional power
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- leviathannounadjective
Forms
- leviathanspluralnounadjective