English Reference
Idiom idiom

baker's half dozen


Seven, a group of seven.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

I need a baker's half dozen eggs for this recipe.

CONTEXTUAL

The baker sold me a baker's half dozen rolls for the price of six.

COMPLEX

After counting the items in the basket, she realized she had collected a baker's half dozen, which was exactly enough for the guests.


Derived by analogy from baker's dozen, the term provides a count of seven by adding a single unit to the standard half dozen. It follows the logic of the earlier thirteen, functioning as the smaller sibling of the thirteen-item set.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a dime a dozen

    So common as to be practically or almost worthless.

  2. 02

    all over hell's half acre

    All over the place; everywhere.

  3. 03

    baker's dozen

    Thirteen; a group of thirteen.

  4. 04

    banker's dozen

    Eleven.

  5. 05

    cheaper by the dozen

    Handled more efficiently as a group, rather than individually.

  6. 06

    decimal dozen

    Ten, a group of ten.

  7. 07

    do by halves

    To perform (a task, etc) partially or incompletely; to do (something) inadequately, halfheartedly, or shoddily.

  8. 08

    go halves

    To divide equally between two parties.

Last updated August 10, 2026