'behemoth' originates from Biblical Hebrew, specifically the word 'bəhēmôṯ' (בהמות), where the root 'behemah' meant 'beast' or 'cattle'.

'behemoth' entered English via translations of the Bible (Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate kept forms close to the Hebrew) and Middle English usage; the Hebrew 'bəhēmôṯ' passed through these biblical-linguistic channels into modern English 'behemoth'.

Initially, it referred to a specific monstrous beast described in the Hebrew Bible, but over time it evolved into the broader modern meaning of 'an enormous or powerful thing or organization'.