Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Hebrew term or phrase:
Behemoth
English translation:
Behemoth/beast
Hebrew term
Behemoth
| 5 +2 | behemoth |
Vicky Papaprodromou
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| 5 +1 | beasts (domesticated quadrupeds) // hippopotamous... |
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti
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| 5 | A large beast |
Eynat
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PRO (2): Flavio Ferri-Benedetti, Vicky Papaprodromou
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Proposed translations
Greece
hellenic wings in translation
Native in: Greek 
Works in: English to Greek, Greek to English
behemoth
1. Someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful
2. A person of exceptional importance and reputation
[WordWeb.info]
H930
בּהמות
behêmôth
be-hay-mohth'
In form a plural of H929, but really a singular of Egyptian derivation: a water ox, that is, the hippopotamus or Nile horse: - Behemoth.
E-sword
(Noun) Pronunciation: [bך-'hee-mךth] Definition 1: An enormously large beast or other object.
Usage 1: There is a prevalent tendency among the US population to mispronounce today's word [bow-'hee-mךth]. Don't you be one of them; the correct pronunciation is given above. The adjective "behemothian" has been used by poets in such contexts as the behemothian jaws of a great white shark or a behemothian bull elephant. Indulge in it if you please, but keep in mind that it sounds a bit flaky today.
Suggested usage: This word originally referred to exceptionally large animals, including humans-a behemoth bear in the woods or the behemoths on the offensive line of the Chicago Bears. Today, though, it is used to refer to anything strikingly large, so the redwood may be said to be a behemoth among trees just as General Electric is a behemoth among international corporations.
Etymology: This word is Hebrew bךhemoth, used in Job 40:15 and following: "Behold now, the behemoth, which I made as well as thee; He eateth grass as an ox." The form is the plural bךhema beast, which has been traditionally assumed to refer to a hippopotamus. Linguists generally take it as the Egyptian word p-ehe-mau "water-ox," assimilated into Hebrew. Like the other huge beast of Hebrew literature, the sea serpent Leviathan, its exact origin is not clear. (This word intrigued Larry Pitchford so enormously that he was moved to suggest we look into it. For more words English borrowed from Hebrew, pick up the Dictionary of Jewish Words in our Word Shop.)
http://www.yourdictionary.com/
Behemoth
From open-dictionary.com - the free dictionary.
Etymology
From Hebrew BeHEMoTh then to Late Latin, and into Middle English at around the 14th century
noun
A great and mighty beast described in Job 40:15-24 used to illustrate God's mightiness
A great and mighty monster, (the hippopotamus is said by some scholars to be the animal described in Job's illustration).
Something which has the qualities of great power and might, and monstrous proportions
http://open-dictionary.com/Behemoth
The word appears exactly the same in Latin (Quick Latin 1.2)
| agree |
Robert Forstag
: This is it. Behemoth is presented in Hebrew Scripture as the great beast of the land, while Leviathan is presented as the great sea monster. Both entered the English language as transliterations from the Hebrew.
4 hrs
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Thanks, Robert!
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| neutral |
Eynat
: The pronunciation is beheMA (fem. sing.), beheMOT (plural).
12 hrs
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Ok, but the asker does not really need the pronunciation here; the meaning of the word is what confuses her - in fact she did not know the exact word spelling.
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| agree |
Simon Charass
1 day 5 hrs
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Thanks, Simon!
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Switzerland
PhD & Ita+Spa Native. Fast and precise.
Native in: Italian 
, Spanish
Works in: Spanish to Italian, Italian to Spanish, German to Spanish, and 7 more.
beasts (domesticated quadrupeds) // hippopotamous...
The correct word is BEHEMOTH.
It means "great beasts" - all mammals living on earth, but more specifically large domesticated quadrupeds (dogs, cats, cows...).
In JOB (XL, 10), though, it is left untranslated and refers to a specific animal. Historians think it may be the well-known hippopotamous, or even the rhinoceros. Go figure!
This is a hebrew word, anyway, not a Latin word.
I suggest you to read the interesting article on Bible Animals from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01517a.htm
Hope this helps!
| agree |
Joseph Brazauskas
2 hrs
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| neutral |
Eynat
: Absolutely NOT cats or dogs. Behema (fem. sing.) in Hebrew would be something of the size of cattle - even a sheep is too small.
12 hrs
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You are right - Cats and dogs were not domesticated beasts at that time among the Hebrew.
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A large beast
Source: native Hebrew speaker.
Discussion