dozen

noun

doz·​en ˈdə-zᵊn How to pronounce dozen (audio)
plural dozens or dozen
1
: a group of 12
2
: an indefinitely large number
dozens of times
3
the dozens plural in form but singular in construction : a ritualized African American word game that consists of exchanging insults usually about the members of an opponent's family
dozen adjective
dozenth adjective

Examples of dozen in a Sentence

dozens of new songs were auditioned and rejected
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Witnesses described two men, later identified as Villanueva-Morales and 29-year-old Javier Alatorre, entering the bar and firing more than a dozen shots into the crowd of approximately 40 patrons. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025 With an enrollment of over 45,000 students, FSU offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across more than a dozen colleges. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 More than a dozen high-quality studies have since found no evidence of a link between childhood vaccines and autism. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025 In 2020, an elaborate and violent plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer by more than a dozen people was foiled by authorities. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dozen

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dozeine, from Anglo-French duzeine, dozeyne, from duze twelve, from Latin duodecim, from duo two + decem ten — more at two, ten

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dozen was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dozen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dozen. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

dozen

noun
doz·​en ˈdəz-ᵊn How to pronounce dozen (audio)
plural dozens or dozen
: a group of twelve
dozen adjective
dozenth adjective
Etymology

Middle English dozeine "dozen," from early French dozeyne (same meaning), derived from Latin duodecim "twelve," from duo "two" and decem "ten" — related to decimal, dime, dual

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