dozen
DUH-zuhn
Dozen (noun) means a group of twelve. Example: “She bought a dozen eggs at the market.”
noun
1
A group of twelve.
"She bought a dozen eggs at the market."
"He ordered two dozen doughnuts for the office."
"The recipe needs a dozen ripe tomatoes and a handful of fresh basil."
2
An unspecified but fairly large number; many (used loosely, not literally twelve).
"I've told you a dozen times to lock the door."
"There must be dozens of cafes on this street, so choosing one is hard."
"Dozens of people queued outside the shop before it opened this morning."
How to use dozen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTwelve of something, or, loosely, "a good few."
Common mistake
"Dozens of" means a large, vague number, not literally multiples of twelve — don't read it too literally.
Common pairings
a dozen eggs
dozens of times
baker's dozen
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Word forms
- Plural
- dozens
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She bought a _____ eggs at the market.
Etymology
From Old French dozaine, "a group of twelve," from Latin duodecim ("twelve").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for dozen
See all rhymes for dozen →Frequently asked questions
What does “dozen” mean?
The word “dozen” means a group of twelve. In plain terms, twelve of something, or, loosely, "a good few.".
How do you pronounce “dozen”?
“Dozen” is pronounced DUH-zuhn (/ˈdʌzən/ in IPA).
How do you use “dozen” in a sentence?
Here is “dozen” used in a sentence: “She bought a dozen eggs at the market.”
What is another word for “dozen”?
Words with a similar meaning to “dozen” include a lot of, heap of, hundred of, load of, lot of and many.
What is the opposite of “dozen”?
The opposite of “dozen” — its antonyms — is few.
What part of speech is “dozen”?
“Dozen” is a noun.
Where does the word “dozen” come from?
The word “dozen” comes from Latin. From Old French dozaine, "a group of twelve," from Latin duodecim ("twelve").
Is “dozen” a common word?
“Dozen” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between a dozen and a baker's dozen?
A dozen is a group of twelve. A baker's dozen is thirteen, one more than a standard dozen, a tradition said to come from bakers adding an extra item to avoid falling short of the count.
What is the difference between a dozen and a score?
A dozen is twelve, while a score is twenty. Both are traditional counting words, but they represent different quantities, so three dozen is thirty-six and three score is sixty.
Is it 'two dozen eggs' or 'two dozens eggs'?
After a number, 'dozen' stays in its singular form, so the correct phrase is 'two dozen eggs.' The plural 'dozens' is used only in the vaguer phrase 'dozens of,' as in 'dozens of eggs,' where no exact number is given.
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