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

It also spent more than $10 million on a half-dozen “Freedom Trucks,” rolling museums with interactive exhibits that are now circulating the country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

“We agree on probably 90% of the issues,” he said, adding that he had met Hilton about a half-dozen times and appreciated his campaign message.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

For 15 hair-raising minutes, the pilots struggled to evade a half-dozen surface-to-air missiles, spraying countermeasures and executing a series of high-G maneuvers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

It is unpainted, imperfect, striped with a half-dozen different types of wood, and missing details.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr