long dozen

9.9

A group of thirteen items, one more than the usual twelve

noun

Archaic

: docena larga

He ordered a long dozen eggs, which meant he received thirteen instead of twelve.

Examples

I bought a long dozen of eggs for the party.
The baker added an extra loaf to make it a long dozen.
Traditionally, a long dozen was used to avoid shortchanging customers.
A long dozen is often used in baking recipes.
He ordered a long dozen of donuts for the breakfast meeting, which meant he received thirteen instead of twelve.
To ensure everyone gets a treat, the chef prepared a long dozen of pastries for the event.
At the market, I asked for a long dozen of apples, so the vendor gave me thirteen.

Synonyms

thirteen

vslong dozen

195 1.0

A number one more than twelve

refers to using that number instead of the usual twelve in a set

baker's dozen

vslong dozen

4 3.0

A group of thirteen items, often one more than expected

is a general name for using one more than twelve instead of the usual twelve

Surface Forms

long dozen singular

long dozens plural

Morphology

long + dozen

Combining 'long' (exceeding the typical amount) with 'dozen' (a group of twelve) transparently suggests a dozen that is larger than usual, so a learner would likely infer 'more than twelve'. However, the precise interpretation as exactly thirteen is a conventionalized numeric value rather than a directly predictable composition, so the meaning is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Long dozen comes from a simple shop idea: sellers who sold a dozen, twelve items, often added a long, one extra item, so buyers actually got 'thirteen' instead of 'twelve'. That's why long dozen now means 'thirteen'.