Shakers

British  

/ ˈʃeɪkəz /

plural noun

1. an American millenarian sect, founded in 1747 as an offshoot of the Quakers, given to ecstatic shaking, advocating celibacy for its members, and practising common ownership of property

---

Shakers Cultural  

1. A religious group that rose in America in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Shakers derived their name from a dance that was part of their religious ceremony. They lived in small, tightly knit communities and observed celibacy.

---

Discover More

Shaker furniture is renowned for its simplicity, strength, and beauty.

Example Sentences

The story, divided into three chapters, follows the beginnings of the Shakers in Manchester, England, then their arduous transatlantic journey and how they settled in America.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

At its peak, there were over 6,000 Shakers, joining Ann in rebuking the gruesome, incalculable evils of war and preaching moral generosity.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2025

They also exhibit a rare respect for women, believing that “God must be both male and female,” and are a precursor to the group Ann herself will come to lead, known simply as the Shakers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025

You’ll learn a lot about the Shakers and maybe not enough about Ann Lee beyond her zealotry.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

New religious faiths sprung from the state’s rich soil: Shakers, Mormons, and Adventists, among others.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock