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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
Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
Unlike the vast majority of Supes, and certainly unlike Soldier Boy and his ilk, Bombsight seemed like a pretty good guy, all things considered.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
The last days of disco were fading, and Andy Warhol and his ilk needed another place to hang out.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 16 May 2026
The problem is the Wolves couldn’t produce that for nearly long enough – not to beat a team of San Antonio’s ilk.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ilk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ilk. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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