Dozen Definition

dŭzən
dozens
noun
dozens
A set of twelve.
Webster's New World
A large number.
Webster's New World

(as plural only, always followed by of) A large, unspecified number of, comfortably estimated in small multiples of twelve, thus generally implied to be significantly more than ten or twelve, but less than perhaps one or two hundred; many.

There must have been dozens of examples just on the first page.
There were dozens and dozens of applicants before the job was posted.
Wiktionary

(metallurgy) An old English measure of ore containing 12 hundredweight.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
adjective
Twelve.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
idiom
the dozens
  • a form of verbal play, chiefly among African Americans, in which the participants exchange witty, ribald taunts and insults
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Dozen

Noun

Singular:
dozen
Plural:
dozens

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Dozen

  • the dozens

Origin of Dozen

  • Middle English dozeine from Old French dozaine from doze twelve ultimately from Latin duodecim duo two dwo- in Indo-European roots decem ten dekm̥ in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old French dozaine (“a group of twelve”) (French douzaine), from doze (“twelve”) + -aine (“-ish”), from Latin duodecim (“twelve”) (from duo (“two”) + decem (“ten”)) + -ana (“-ish”)

    From Wiktionary

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