ilk

1 of 3

noun

: 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.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
To their credit, the Knicks cushioned the blow and fought back, like teams of that ilk are supposed to do. James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 But why do these terrible people and their dangerous ilk remain enduringly popular? Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2025 Though Bridget's rant didn't single out any specific influencers by name, the N.Y.C. ilk apparently took offense, and some even responded directly. Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025 Yet to those who didn’t live through the Dončić experience — the front office executives, coaches and scouts who would love nothing more than to get their hands on a player of his ilk — all these justifications for the trade simply don’t compute. Sam Amick, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ilk

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ilk was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Ilk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ilk. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

ilk

noun
ˈilk
: sort entry 1 sense 1a, kind
gamers and their ilk

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