dozen

noun

doz·​en ˈdə-zᵊn 

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

ˈdə-zᵊn(t)th 

adjective

Synonyms

• ton
• loads
• plenty
• slew
• bunch
• hundred
• lot
• deal
• pile
• chunk
• quantity
• raft

Examples of dozen in a Sentence

dozens of new songs were auditioned and rejected

Recent Examples on the Web

With more than a dozen groups already in the mix, Berman said the shift should give bidders room to recruit, secure infrastructure investment, and set themselves up for a stronger launch. —Asli Pelit, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025

More than two dozen girls and counselors died after torrential rainfall and cataclysmic flooding ripped through parts of the camp in the predawn hours of July 4. —Holly Yan, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025

TxDOT traffic cameras captured dozens of emergency vehicles and police units converging near the ICE facility off I-35E and Empire Central. —Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025

The Star’s Investigation The Star has spent the past two months investigating what happened in September 2021 and since, including dozens of hours talking with Estes, who shared extensive details about her experience. —Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2025

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

Phrases Containing dozen

• a dime a dozen
• baker's dozen
• daily dozen
• half a dozen
• half dozen
• it's six of one and half a dozen of the other
• it's six of one, half (a) dozen of the other
• several dozen
• talk nineteen to the dozen

Kids Definition

dozen

noun

doz·​en ˈdəz-ᵊn 

plural dozens or dozen

: a group of twelve

dozen adjective

dozenth

-ᵊn(t)th 

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