half-dozen

American  

[half-duhz-uhn, hahf-] / ˈhælfˈdʌz ən, ˈhɑf- /

noun

1. one half of a dozen; six.

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adjective

1. considering six as a unit; consisting of six.

half-dozen British  

determiner

1. (preceded by a)

   1. six or a group of six

      a half-dozen roses

   2. ( as pronoun; functioning as singular or plural )

      at least a half-dozen

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Etymology

Origin of half-dozen

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425

Example Sentences

The half-dozen new bills are meant to help the nascent industry clear those hurdles.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

“The more, the merrier,” says Vincent Day, who has separate clusters of close friends, some revolving around music, some around work, others from his kids’ school and a half-dozen from high school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

In Israel, millions of people rushed to shelters as more than a half-dozen waves of Iranian attacks targeted large parts of the country.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

At least a half-dozen state legislatures are debating bills that could stop new data centers from being built.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

I wanted to go over to greet him, but we were marching under the eyes of a half-dozen warders.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela