ilk

1 of 3

noun

ˈilk 

: 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

pronoun (2)

chiefly Scotland

: each

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms of ilk

Noun

• kind
• type
• sort
• stripe
• genre
• breed
• variety

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

This is Rafaela’s first career honor of this ilk, and the third for a Red Sox player this season. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2026

But the cost is the time commitment and the idea still held by Oscar voters of DiCaprio’s ilk that to take one of those jobs is a version of selling one’s soul. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 31 July 2026

While the Franks, Burgundians, Ostrogoths, Visigoths and their ilk fought among themselves, stealthier territorial claims were being staked in plain sight by beech and oaks and pines. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026

But Arlyn David and her ilk are proof that the desire for The Voices predates millennial dopamine addiction by decades at least. — Hannah Engler Harvey, Longreads, 30 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

derivative of ilk entry 2

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)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ilk

• silk
• whilk
• wilk
• buttermilk

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Kids Definition

ilk

noun

ˈilk

: sort entry 1 sense 1a, kind

gamers and their ilk