great gross: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low / Historical / TechnicalHistorical / Obsolete / Technical (trade/commerce)
Quick answer
What does “great gross” mean?
A historical unit of quantity equal to 1728 items (12 x 12 x 12.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historical unit of quantity equal to 1728 items (12 x 12 x 12; twelve gross).
A large numerical quantity used historically in commerce and bulk goods trade, often for small items like pins, nails, or buttons.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant contemporary difference; the term is equally obsolete in both dialects. Historically, both UK and US trade used the system.
Connotations
Historical commerce, bulk trade, antiquated systems of measurement.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern usage. Might appear in historical novels, documents, or discussions of old measurement systems.
Grammar
How to Use “great gross” in a Sentence
a great gross of [countable noun (plural)]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Obsolete. Historically used in wholesale purchase orders for small manufactured goods.
Academic
Appears in historical economic texts or studies of pre-industrial trade.
Everyday
Not used in modern everyday language.
Technical
A defined unit in historical metrology or the study of obsolete weights and measures.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “great gross”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “great gross”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “great gross”
- Using it as an adjective phrase (e.g., 'a great gross mistake').
- Confusing it with a 'gross' (144) or a 'small gross' (120).
- Assuming it is still in common commercial use.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an obsolete historical term. Modern bulk trade uses metric or standard decimal quantities.
No, it is a fixed compound noun referring to a specific quantity. Using it as a descriptive adjective (e.g., 'a great gross error') would be incorrect and confusing.
A 'gross' is 144 items (12 dozen). A 'great gross' is 12 times that, or 1728 items (12 gross).
Primarily for reading historical texts, literature, or trade documents. It's a useful example of how English has specialized, obsolete vocabulary, but it's not needed for active modern communication.
A historical unit of quantity equal to 1728 items (12 x 12 x 12.
Great gross is usually historical / obsolete / technical (trade/commerce) in register.
Great gross: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈɡrəʊs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪt ˈɡroʊs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “by the great gross (archaic: in very large bulk quantities)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A GREATly multiplied GROSS. A gross is a big box (12 dozen). A GREAT GROSS is a dozen of those big boxes (12 x 12 dozen = 1728).
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS SIZE / VOLUME (a 'great' gross is a larger container of quantity).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'great gross' specifically denote?