dozen

Dozen is a unit of quantity equal to twelve items. The word comes from Old French douzaine, from douze, meaning twelve, and entered English in the medieval period. In everyday use, items are often sold or counted in dozens, especially perishable goods such as eggs, baked goods, and flowers, because grouping by twelve facilitates bulk handling and pricing.

Related concepts include the baker’s dozen, which is thirteen items and arose from medieval trade practices intended to avoid underweight goods. A gross equals twelve dozen (144), and a great gross equals twelve gross (1,728). The dozen is linked to the duodecimal (base-12) system, valued for its divisibility by multiple small integers, a property that has influenced timekeeping and some traditional measurements.

In language and culture, the term dozen can indicate a large but unspecified number, as in “dozens of people.” The number twelve also appears in many traditions and systems, such as twelve months in a year, twelve signs of the zodiac, twelve apostles, and twelve hours on a clock face. These associations reflect the enduring practicality and historical significance of grouping by twelve in various domains.