Dozen Definition
(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.
(metallurgy) An old English measure of ore containing 12 hundredweight.
- a form of verbal play, chiefly among African Americans, in which the participants exchange witty, ribald taunts and insults
Other Word Forms of Dozen
Noun
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Dozen
- the dozens
Origin of Dozen
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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
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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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