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

Noun

• breed
• class
• description
• feather
• genre
• kidney
• kind
• like
• manner
• nature
• order
• sort
• species
• strain
• stripe
• type
• 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

Supporters have seen too many games of this ilk this season and most have resorted to wishing away Goodison’s final campaign, a grim indictment of their predicament. —Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024

Chris Van Hollen and his ilk personify the reasons Capitol Hill has a 30% approval rating. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 18 Nov. 2024

That trademark toughness was a by-product of his roots, a character trait connecting him to those from similar ilks. —Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024

The boulevard and side streets are loitered by similar ilk, particularly in front of six bodegas. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 July 2024

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

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Kids Definition

ilk

noun

ˈilk

: sort entry 1 sense 1a, kind

gamers and their ilk