half-dozen

[half-duhz-uhn, hahf-]

noun

1. one half of a dozen; six.

adjective

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

half-dozen

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of half-dozen¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425

Example Sentences

Another half-dozen homes are being rebuilt each month, according to a Times data analysis.

From Los Angeles Times

Votes on the left could be fractured among a half-dozen Democratic candidates, creating a more viable path forward for one of the two high-profile Republicans in the race to make it to the November ballot.

From Los Angeles Times

If you wind back seven years to 2018, England had won only one of the preceding half-dozen Six Nations.

From BBC

It’s a sight that’s become all too common, and alarming, for local activists, who say there have been at least a half-dozen burro bow attacks in the Moreno Valley area recently.

From Los Angeles Times

Kirk was being protected by roughly a half-dozen Utah Valley University police officers and a handful of private security guards Wednesday, according to campus security officials.

From Los Angeles Times