|
Dozen - Definition and Overview |
| Related Words: Sexagesima, Boxcar, Boxcars, Eighty, Eleven, Fifteen, Fifty, Fortnight, Forty, Fourscore, Fourteen, Ninety, Nonagenarian, Octogenarian, Score, Septuagenarian, Seventy |
|
|
|
The word dozen is another term for the number twelve. It originates from the Latin word duodecim. Twelve dozen are known as a gross Twelve Gross (1728) is known as a great gross. The term great gross is most often used when shipping or buying items in bulk. The use of twelve as a base number probably originates from Mesopotamia. A "baker's dozen" is thirteen.
The dozen is convenient because its multiplers and multiples are convenient (12 = 2 * 3), 360 = 30 * 12.
In French The word douzaine means "about twelve" and is part of a family of words with similar meanings, i.e. vingtaine - "about 20" centaine - "about 100" etc...
See also
|
|
|
