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.
In videos from the scene, police officers are seen restraining people on the ground and making arrests as dozens of people march across the bridge from Cincinnati. Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 23 July 2025 If President Donald Trump moves forward with plans to reinstate broad tariffs on dozens of countries in August, and follows through on additional threats, prices could climb even further. Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 23 July 2025 The Gorgosaurus fossil was just the first of dozens that have been found to date. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 July 2025 Chicago Police Department brass accused Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration of deliberately slowing down paychecks for dozens of employees this summer in a fiery email that warned the city was jeopardizing its compliance with the federal consent decree. Chicago Tribune, 22 July 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 25 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on dozen

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