half-dozen

American  

[half-duhz-uhn, hahf-] / ˈhælfˈdʌz ən, ˈhɑf- /

noun

1. one half of a dozen; six.

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adjective

1. considering six as a unit; consisting of six.

half-dozen British  

determiner

1. (preceded by a)

   1. six or a group of six

      a half-dozen roses

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

      at least a half-dozen

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Etymology

Origin of half-dozen

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

half-dozen

I left annoyed by the overall movie, yet haunted by a half-dozen of its images: Andie vacuuming the decoy house before the next shoot, a woman in the workplace handling an overlooked job.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

"We're relying on the tweets of a half-dozen people who are all vying for perceived supremacy," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

The article says only that it’s “based on interviews with more than a half-dozen current and former officials,” including anonymous “people who spoke to” Vance and “officials with direct knowledge.”

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026

According to polling data aggregator RealClearPolitics, GOP candidates are trailing in a least a half-dozen Senate races in battleground states, including Alaska, New Hampshire, Maine, Georgia, Ohio and North Carolina.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

A good half-dozen of his men were following him, like crows following a peacock.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

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