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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
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2025
Sammie and his ilk, though, are finding fleeting freedom through blues.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2025
Hence the family’s friendship with Ai Weiwei and his ilk.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Does any player of that ilk really want to come to Memphis?
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 2 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ilk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ilk. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.
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