Monday, May 2, 2022

Leviathan

 WORD OF THE DAY

leviathan / noun / luh-VYE-uh-thun

Definition
1a (often capitalized): a sea monster defeated by Yahweh in various scriptural accounts
1b: a large sea animal
2 (capitalized): the political state
3: something large or formidable

Examples
"The Juno probe has been tasked with studying a leviathan: Jupiter, the heavyweight of the Solar System, King of the Planets."
— Michelle Starr, Science Alert, 23 Mar. 2022

So, for approved and vetted smaller firms that would fit a diverse supplier profile, this can mean leviathan-sized hurdles buried in the fine print: things like outsized insurance and cybersecurity requirements, or onerous payment terms.
— Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2022

Did You Know?
The Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, Leviathan (in Hebrew, Liwyāthān), are thought to come from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster.
Leviathan appears in the Book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to creatures in the wilderness, and it is mentioned in the Book of Job as well.
Today, its name is used for "something monstrous or of enormous size."


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