ilk

English

WOTD – 8 June 2006    

Alternative forms

• ilke

Etymology

From Middle English ilke, from Old English ilca, from Proto-Germanic *ilīkaz, a compound of *iz and *-līkaz from the noun *līką (“body”).

The sense of “type”, “kind” is from the application of the phrase ‘of that ilk’ to families: the word thus came to mean ‘family’.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪlk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪlk

Adjective

ilk (not comparable)

1. (Scotland and Northern England) The same.

Usage notes

Used following a person’s name to show that he lives in a place of the same name, eg Johnstone of that ilk means Johnstone of Johnstone.

Noun

ilk (plural ilks)

1. A type, race or category; a group of entities that have common characteristics such that they may be grouped together.
   • 1906, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle, Chapter 25

     "Hinkydink” or “Bathhouse John,” or others of that ilk, were proprietors of the most notorious dives in Chicago […]

Usage notes

• In modern use, ilk is used in phrases such as of his ilk, of that ilk, to mean ‘type’ or ‘sort.’ The use arose out of a misunderstanding of the earlier, Scottish use in the phrase of that ilk, where it means ‘of the same name or place.’ For this reason, some traditionalists regard the modern use as incorrect. It is, however, the only common current use and is now part of standard English.

Synonyms

• kind
• likes
• sort
• type

Derived terms

• of that ilk

References

• “ilk” in the The New Oxford American Dictionary, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2005

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Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪlk/

Etymology 1

From the Old English īlca, from Proto-Germanic *ilīkaz, a compound of *iz and *-līkaz from the noun *līką (“body”).

Cognate to English ilk.

Adjective

ilk (not comparable)

1. The same.

Usage notes

• Used following a person’s name to show that he lives in a place of the same name, eg Johnstone of that ilk means Johnstone of Johnstone.

Etymology 2

From Middle English ylk, iwilk, from Old English ġehwylc (“each, every”), equivalent to y- +‎ which. Merged with Northern Old English ylc (“each”). More at each. {compare the Dutch elk - each]

Determiner

ilk

1. (archaic, of two or more) each; every

Synonyms

• ilka

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Turkish

Etymology

From Old Turkic ilk, ilki, from Proto-Turkic.

Adjective

ilk

1. first

Synonyms

• birinci

Antonyms

• son

Adverb

ilk

1. first