English Meaning & Definitions
A group or quantity of six of something.
- “Please pick up half a dozen eggs and a loaf of bread from the store.”
- “Only half a dozen people showed up to the early morning meeting.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “half a dozen”.
The phrase combines 'half' (from Old English 'healf') with 'dozen' (derived from the Old French 'douzaine', ultimately from the Latin 'duodecim', meaning twelve). It has been used since the Middle Ages to denote a group of six items, reflecting the common medieval practice of counting and selling goods in groups of twelve.
Think of a standard egg carton: a full carton holds a dozen (12 eggs), so half of that carton holds six, or half a dozen.
Frequently Asked Questions About “half a dozen”
1. What is the meaning of “half a dozen” in English?
In English, half a dozen (noun) is defined as: “A group or quantity of six of something.”.
2. How do you use “half a dozen” in a sentence?
“Please pick up half a dozen eggs and a loaf of bread from the store.”
3. What are English synonyms of “half a dozen”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “half a dozen”?
The phrase combines 'half' (from Old English 'healf') with 'dozen' (derived from the Old French 'douzaine', ultimately from the Latin 'duodecim', meaning twelve). It has been used since the Middle Ages to denote a group of six items, reflecting the common medieval practice of counting and selling goods in groups of twelve.
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