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

None of the nearly dozen economists interviewed by MarketWatch predict a downturn in the near future.

From MarketWatch

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico — It was 2 a.m. when a bus carrying dozens of U.S. deportees heaved into this sweltering city in southern Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times

In dry times, when it needs to tap into stored water, it uses dozens of wells to pump it out and send it flowing to farms.

From Los Angeles Times

Davis cheered her removal on X in more than a dozen posts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Certainly AI, cryptocurrency, the NFTs, digital surveillance and dozens of other subjects have given today’s artists plenty of fodder to consider.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• twelve