douzaine French · revision 16103

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1209, Renclus de Molliens|origins=la duodecim}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /du.zɛn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''douzaine''' ''f'' (plural douzaines)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French [[m|fro|dozaine]], [[m|fro|dousaine]].^(Littré 1873)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|fr|douze|-aine]], formed in Old French on [[m|fro|doze|t=twelve]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary)^(Grand Robert 2005) ''Douze'' comes from [[la|duodecim|t=twelve]],^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) through Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*dōdeci]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[oc|dotzena]], [[ca|dotzena]], [[es|docena]] and [[pt|dúzia]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLFi's first record is in the ''Carité'' of the Renclus de Molliens (1209); the GLLF and the Grand Robert date it to the late 12th century, in the ''Roman de Renart'', where Renart eats a dozen of something until his belly is full.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By the 13th century it was also used loosely for a number of about twelve, as in Rutebeuf.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873) In the 14th century ''la douzaine'' was the body of twelve sergeants of the Châtelet of Paris, and a ''dozaine de terre'' a measure of land.^(Littré 1873) The phrase ''treize à la douzaine'' “thirteen for the price of twelve” is found in 1551, and in the 16th century ''au compte de la douzaine'' meant “common, ordinary”, as ''à la douzaine'' “by the dozen, in quantity” does today.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)^(Petit Robert 2007) Twelve dozen make a [[grosse]].^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ English [[m|en|dozen]] (about 1300) was borrowed from Old French ''dozaine''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 12th century – ''Dozaine'' in the ''Roman de Renart''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1209 – Used by the Renclus de Molliens.^(TLFi)

+ * 13th century – Rutebeuf uses it for about twelve.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1300 – English borrows it as ''doseine''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1551 – ''Treize en la douzaine'' is recorded.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|dozen]], a set of twelve things of the same kind: ''une douzaine d'œufs''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # About twelve: ''un enfant d'une douzaine d'années''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+ # ''Treize à la douzaine'': thirteen for the price of twelve.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''À la douzaine'' ''(familiar)'': in large numbers; [[m|en|commonplace]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[demi-douzaine]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[centaine]]

+ * [[cinquantaine]]

+ * [[dizaine]]

+ * [[huitaine]]

+ * [[quarantaine]]

+ * [[quinzaine]]

+ * [[soixantaine]]

+ * [[trentaine]]

+ * [[vingtaine]]

+ * [[grosse]]

+ * [[douze]]

+ * [[douzième]]

+ * [[la|duodecim]]

+ * [[en|dozen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}