The term ‘gross’ for a group of 144 items has its origins in the French word ‘grosse douzaine,’ which means ‘large dozen.’ This term was used in medieval times when trade and commerce were expanding, and there was a need for larger units of measurement.
In the duodecimal (base-12) system, which was commonly used in trade, a dozen refers to 12 items. A gross, being 12 dozen, equals 144 items. This system was practical because 12 is easily divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6, making calculations simpler for merchants and traders.
Over time, the term ‘gross’ became standardized in English and other languages, and it is still used today in various industries, such as manufacturing and retail, to denote a quantity of 144 items.