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The noun ilk comes from the Old English pronoun ilca by way of a pronoun ilk that is still in use, but not in most modern English dialects. That ilk is synonymous with same, and persists chiefly in Scotland where it's used in the phrase "of that ilk," meaning "of the same place, territorial designation, or name." It is generally used in reference to the names of land-owning families and their eponymous estates, as in "the Grants of that ilk," which means "the Grants of Grant." In the late 1700s, the Scots phrase extended to mean "of that kind or sort," a usage that found its way into modern English.
Examples of ilk in a Sentence
Barry Garron, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
The aspirational model for Indiana and others of its ilk should be Oregon, which is definitely not a blueblood but is unquestionably one of that small handful that can win a natty.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
But Kimmel and his ilk have never faced any consequences for their appalling misbehavior.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
The product’s popularity is in line with the rise in the fragrance market overall; perfumes and their ilk are the fastest-growing category in the beauty sector, according to the market-research firm Circana.
—Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ilk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ilk. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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