Dorcas Society
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A woman's circle for making clothing for the poor. So called from Dorcas, in Acts ix, 39, who made "coats and garments" for widows.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Dorcas Society” mean?
A woman's circle for making clothing for the poor. So called from Dorcas, in Acts ix, 39, who made "coats and garments" for widows.
Is “Dorcas Society” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.