quaker

noun

quak·​er ˈkwā-kər How to pronounce quaker (audio)
1
: one that quakes
2
capitalized : friend sense 5
Quakerish adjective
Quakerism noun
Quakerly adjective

Examples of quaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The new documentary follows the story of Westtown School, a small quaker school in Pennsylvania that also happens to be home to arguably the greatest starting five in history. Charlotte Carroll, SI.com, 8 Mar. 2018 When Quakers Charles and Rhoda Coffin ministered in prisons and workhouses across the United States in the 1860s, the couple witnessed the deplorable conditions that inmates, in particular, women faced. Dawn Mitchell, Indianapolis Star, 21 June 2017 Quakers weren’t welcome at Harvard in the 1660s, and vaccination was a medical and theological no-no at Yale over a century later. WSJ, 3 Apr. 2017 Not all of us are bent on changing people’s beliefs; in fact, atheist Quakers attend services with theists regularly and happily. New York Times, 13 Jan. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quaker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quaker was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near quaker

Cite this Entry

“Quaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quaker. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

quaker

noun
quak·​er ˈkwā-kər How to pronounce quaker (audio)
1
: one that quakes
2
capitalized : friend sense 4
Quakerism noun

More from Merriam-Webster on quaker

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