two-dozen
Meaning
Approximately twenty-four in number.
A group of twenty-four items.
Structure
Usage
The bakery prepared two-dozen cupcakes for the party.
He ordered a box containing two-dozen pencils.
The recipe calls for two-dozen eggs, which is quite a lot.
Etymology
The compound "two-dozen" is a transparent numerical construction in English, directly combining the native numeral "two" with the quantity noun "dozen." The word "dozen" itself has a rich history, entering English via Old French from the Latin 'duodecim', meaning "twelve," which is a compound of 'duo' (two) and 'decem' (ten). Therefore, the literal sense of "two-dozen" is "two twelves," a logical and efficient way to denote the quantity twenty-four. This compound exemplifies English's tendency to create precise numerical expressions by combining native and borrowed elements.
Analysis
- two: From Old English 'twā', the feminine and neuter form of 'twēgen' (two). A numeral. - dozen: From Old French 'dozeine', based on Latin 'duodecim' (twelve). A noun indicating a specific quantity.