dozen

¹ American  

[duhz-uhn] / ˈdʌz ən /

noun

plural

dozens,

plural

dozen

1. a group of 12.

2. Slang. the dozens, a ritualized game typically engaged in by two persons each of whom attempts to outdo the other in insults directed against members of the other's family (usually used in the phraseplay the dozens ).

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adjective

1. twelve.

dozen ² American  

[doh-zuhn] / ˈdoʊ zən /

verb (used with object)

Scot.

1. to stun.

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dozen British  

/ ˈdʌzən /

determiner

1. 1. twelve or a group of twelve

      a dozen eggs

      two dozen oranges

   2. ( as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural )

      give me a dozen

      there are at least a dozen who haven't arrived yet

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noun

1. in large quantities

2. See baker's dozen

3. to talk without stopping

dozen Idioms  

1. see baker's dozen; by the dozen; daily dozen; dime a dozen; six of one, half dozen of the other.

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Other Word Forms

• dozenth adjective

Etymology

Origin of dozen¹

1250–1300; Middle English dozeine < Old French do ( u ) zaine, equivalent to do ( u ) ze (< Latin duodecim ) + -aine (< Latin -āna ) -an

Origin of dozen²

1325–75; Middle English (Scots); doze ¹

Example Sentences

If half a dozen people show up on a street corner with signs, they are mostly ignored.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Each can carry a few dozen satellites into orbit.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Known professionally as Moor Mother, Ayewa has released over half a dozen solo albums and collaborated with artists like Billy Woods, Screaming Females, and the Avalanches.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Redemption demands by wealthy investors at a half dozen nontraded private credit funds have exceeded fund limits and have been only partially fulfilled.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

We hadn’t walked a dozen paces before she decided to turn her anger on me, commenting about my boots, my bonnet, and finally the size of my ears.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Related Words

• twelve