Gross (unit)

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Short description: Group of 144; a dozen dozen

In English and related languages, several terms involving the words "great" or "gross" relate to numbers involving a multiple of exponents of twelve (dozen):

  • A gross refers to a group of 144 items (a dozen dozen or a square dozen, 122).[1][2]
  • A great gross refers to a group of 1,728 items (a dozen gross or a cubic dozen, 123).[1][2]
  • A small gross[3] or a great hundred[4] refers to a group of 120 items (ten dozen, 10×12).

The term can be abbreviated gr. or gro., and dates from the early 15th century. It derives from the Old French grosse douzaine, meaning "large dozen”.[5] The continued use of these terms in measurement and counting represents the duodecimal number system.[6] This has led groups such as the Dozenal Society of America to advocate for wider use of "gross" and related terms instead of the decimal system.[7][8]

See also

References