/li vuy"euh theuhn/ , n.
1. ( often cap. ) Bible. a sea monster.
2. any huge marine animal, as the whale.
3. anything of immense size and power, as a huge, oceangoing ship.
4. ( cap., italics ) a philosophical work (1651) by Thomas Hobbes dealing with the political organization of society.
[ 1350-1400; ME levyathan leviathan liwyathan ]