noun
dozen
DUZ-en/ˈdʌzn/
A group or quantity of twelve.
The carton holds a dozen eggs in two rows of six.
Etymology
The French word for twelve combines with a suffix that forms counted groups. Here the ending marks an exact collection of twelve, rather than an approximate number.
In context
a few dozen letters, used over and over.
More examples
- She bought two dozen rolls.
- Dozens of people arrived before noon.
- A dozen chairs stood around the table.
Forms
dozen · dozens
Similar words
- twelve
- The number itself rather than a grouped quantity.