batch

American  

[bach] / bætʃ /

noun

1. a quantity or number coming at one time or taken together.

   a batch of prisoners.

   Synonyms:

   troop, pack, gang, flock, band, set, number, lot, group, bunch

2. the quantity of material prepared or required for one operation.

   mixing a batch of concrete.

3. the quantity of bread, cookies, dough, or the like, made at one baking.

4. Computers.

   1. a group of jobs, data, or programs treated as a unit for computer processing.

   2. batch processing.

5. Glassmaking.

   1. a quantity of raw materials mixed in proper proportions and prepared for fusion into glass.

   2. the material so mixed.

---

verb (used with object)

batches, present (3rd person singular) batched, past participle, past batching present participle

1. to combine, mix, or process in a batch.

batch ¹ British  

/ bætʃ /

noun

1. a group or set of usually similar objects or people, esp if sent off, handled, or arriving at the same time

2. the bread, cakes, etc, produced at one baking

3. the amount of a material needed for an operation

4. Also called: batch loaf.  a tall loaf having a close texture and a thick crust on the top and bottom, baked as part of a batch: the sides of each loaf are greased so that they will pull apart after baking to have pale crumby sides; made esp in Scotland and Ireland Compare pan loaf

---

verb

1. to group (items) for efficient processing

2. to handle by batch processing

batch ² British  

/ bætʃ /

verb

1. (intr) (of a man) to do his own cooking and housekeeping

2. to live alone

---

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has batched
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have batched
  perfect
• have been batching
  perfect progressive
• batches
  singular 3rd person
• are batching
  progressive
• batching
  participle
• has been batching
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is batching
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am batching
  progressive 1st person singular

Past

• had batched
  perfect
• were batching
  progressive plural
• was batching
  progressive singular
• batched
  simple
• had been batching
  perfect progressive
• batched
  participle

Future

• will batch
  simple
• will have batched
  perfect
• will be batching
  progressive
• will have been batching
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of batch

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English bache “amount of bread produced in one baking,” Old English gebæc; akin to German Gebäck “pastry, cakes”; see origin at bake

Explanation

A batch is a completed group, collection, or quantity of something, especially something that's just been made. You might, for example, bake a batch of cookies to take to your new neighbor. A company that makes soap might deliver a batch, loaded on a truck, to a new store in Vermont, and if you manage a bakery you might declare, "That's it! This is our last batch of gingerbread until next year!" In computer lingo, a batch is, similarly, a group or collection of records. The Old English root, bæcce, means "something baked," from bacan, "bake."

Example Sentences

In the most recent batch of mail-in ballots counted, Raman received 23,514 votes, while Pratt gained 10,336.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

The Securities and Exchange Commission approved the first batch of spot bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 and investors have several options to choose from.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

That year’s batch of tech IPOs went on to lose most of their value over the following three years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

The performance milestones in the first batch of shares include the company achieving certain market capitalization levels and establishing a permanent human colony on Mars with at least one million inhabitants.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The stern woman in the red sweater comes in with a new batch of messages.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• amount
• array
• assortment
• bunch
• bundle
• cluster
• collection
• lot
• parcel
• quantity
• shipment
• volume