Definitions for dozen
ˈdʌz əndozen

Princeton's WordNet(3.50 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. twelve, 12, XII, dozen(adj)

   the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

2. twelve, 12, xii, dozen(adj)

   denoting a quantity consisting of 12 items or units

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. dozen(Noun)

   A set of twelve.

   Etymology: From douzaine, from duodecim, from duo + decem

2. dozen(Noun)

   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.

   Etymology: From douzaine, from duodecim, from duo + decem

3. dozen(Noun)

   An old English measure of ore containing 12 hundredweight.

   Etymology: From douzaine, from duodecim, from duo + decem

Webster Dictionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Dozen

   of Dozen

   Etymology: [OE. doseine, dosein, OF. doseine, F. douzaine, fr. douze twelve, fr. L. duodecim; duo two + decem ten. See Two, Ten, and cf. Duodecimal.]

2. Dozen(noun)

   a collection of twelve objects; a tale or set of twelve; with or without of before the substantive which follows

   Etymology: [OE. doseine, dosein, OF. doseine, F. douzaine, fr. douze twelve, fr. L. duodecim; duo two + decem ten. See Two, Ten, and cf. Duodecimal.]

3. Dozen(noun)

   an indefinite small number

   Etymology: [OE. doseine, dosein, OF. doseine, F. douzaine, fr. douze twelve, fr. L. duodecim; duo two + decem ten. See Two, Ten, and cf. Duodecimal.]

Freebase(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Dozen

   A dozen is a grouping of twelve. The dozen may be one of the earliest primitive groupings, perhaps because there are approximately a dozen cycles of the moon or months in a cycle of the sun or year. Twelve is convenient because its multiples and divisors are convenient: 12 = 2 × 2 × 3, 3 × 4 = 12, 2 × 6 = 12, 60 = 12 × 5, 360 = 12 × 30. The use of twelve as a base number, known as the duodecimal system, probably originated in Mesopotamia. This could come from counting on one's fingers by counting each finger bone with one's thumb. Using this method, one hand can count to twelve, and two hands can count to 144. Twelve dozen are known as a gross; and twelve gross are called a great gross, a term most often used when shipping or buying items in bulk. A great hundred, also known as a small gross, is 120 or ten dozen. A baker's dozen, also known as a long dozen, is thirteen.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Dozen

   duz′n, adj. two and ten, or twelve.—n. a collection of twelve articles.—adj. Doz′enth.—Baker's dozen, Devil's dozen, thirteen. [O. Fr. dozeine—L. duodecim—duo, two, and decem, ten.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'dozen' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3738

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'dozen' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2355

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'dozen' in Nouns Frequency: #1222

Anagrams for dozen »

1. zoned

2. zendo

How to pronounce dozen?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say dozen in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of dozen in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of dozen in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of dozen in a Sentence

1. Xochitl Hinojosa:

   The DNC will not change the threshold for any one candidate and will not revert back to two consecutive nights with more than a dozen candidates.

2. John Buis:

   There were about a dozen people in the camps when we went up there, I don't know if all of them have been arrested, it was a very fluid situation.

3. Steve Bell:

   It is unfortunate that of the nearly two dozen candidates running for president today, virtually none of them have placed a focus on this important issue.

4. Bruce Billings:

   I normally have 15 to 20 dogs for day care, but that's down to half a dozen; people can't get here.

5. George Jean Nathan:

   A ready way to lose your friend is to lend him money. Another equally ready way to lose him is to refuse to lend him money. It is six of one and a half dozen of the other.

Images & Illustrations of dozen

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