ilk

1 of 3

noun

ˈilk

Synonyms of ilk next

: sort, kind

politicians and their ilk

ilk

2 of 3

pronoun (1)

chiefly Scotland

: same

—used with that especially in the names of landed families

ilk

3 of 3

Did you know?

The Old English pronoun ilca is the predecessor of the modern noun ilk, but by way of a pronoun ilk that does not exist in most dialects of modern English. That ilk is synonymous with same, and persists in Scots where it's used in the phrase of that ilk, meaning "of the same place, territorial designation, or name." It is used chiefly in reference to the names of land-owning families and their eponymous estates, as in "the Guthries of that ilk," which means "the Guthries of Guthrie." Centuries ago a misunderstanding arose concerning the Scots phrase: it was interpreted as meaning "of that kind or sort," a usage that found its way into modern English. Ilk has been established in English with its current meaning and part of speech since the late 18th century.

Examples of ilk in a Sentence

Noun The club attracts punk rockers and others of that ilk. we're looking for chestnuts and other items of that ilk for our autumn decorations

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Take the attack on critical race theory, or at least the version retailed by Rufo and his ilk. —

Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2023 Here’s a question of that ilk: Which healthy player on Cleveland’s roster can change the game like George Pickens did with his 71-yard-touchdown? —

Jimmy Watkins, cleveland, 18 Sep. 2023 The competition categories offer a place for artists of every ilk, no matter their favorite medium or topic. —

Jenna Schnuer, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Aug. 2023 Back in the 1990s Middlebury and its ilk (Vassar, Bowdoin, Bates) epitomized the liberal arts ideal at a time when graduating with an English or theology degree was seen as an estimable end goal. —

Nicole Laporte, Town & Country, 3 Aug. 2023 With that, Samuels often viciously rebuked Black women for expecting special treatment from men of that ilk if they weren’t considered to be of the same caliber. —

Jasmine Browley and Dominique Fluker, Essence, 21 July 2023 Since then, Hawkeye served as an ambassador for his critically endangered ilk. —

Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2023 There were sports teams, clubs of every ilk, bowling alleys, and dances most nights of the week. —

Denise Kiernan, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2023 Meanwhile, the Covid prescription offered by Berenson, Kennedy, and their ilk—take your chances with the virus, not the vaccines—can leave audiences not just misinformed but dead. —

Rob Pegoraro, The New Republic, 7 July 2023 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Pronoun (1)

Middle English, from Old English ilca, from *i- that, the same (akin to Goth is he, Latin, he, that) + *lik- form (whence Old English līc body) — more at iterate, like

Pronoun (2)

Middle English, adjective & pronoun, from Old English ylc, ǣlc — more at each

First Known Use

Noun

1790, in the meaning defined above

Pronoun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Pronoun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of ilk was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century