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

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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.

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Discover More

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

Example Sentences

Mayhew-Archer, who co-hosts award-winning Parkinson's podcast Movers and Shakers, said while the disease made many things difficult for him, it had also brought him "opportunities I wouldn't have missed for the world".

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

A meetinghouse stood at the center of every village created by the Shakers, the separatist and celibate Christian religious sect founded in the 18th century that was devoted to communal living and simple, functional design.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 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

One of Blumberg’s favorite moments in the film is a scene where a group of sailors, transporting Lee and her disciples to the new world, shout at the Shakers to stop singing.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 24, 2025

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

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock