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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
Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
That was one of the first designer/premium brands of its era, along with Jordache and people of that ilk.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
To be like, okay, look this isn't a film of a specific ilk.
—Esther Zuckerman, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
Diego Rincon, creative director at Lifted, says the team spotted an opportunity to work up a big new hit of this ilk after ITV’s stalwart Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was rested.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ilk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ilk. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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