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The Old English pronoun ilca is the predecessor of the modern noun ilk, but by way of a pronoun ilk that does not exist in most dialects of modern English. That ilk is synonymous with same, and persists in Scots where it's used in the phrase of that ilk, meaning "of the same place, territorial designation, or name." It is used chiefly in reference to the names of land-owning families and their eponymous estates, as in "the Guthries of that ilk," which means "the Guthries of Guthrie." Centuries ago a misunderstanding arose concerning the Scots phrase: it was interpreted as meaning "of that kind or sort," a usage that found its way into modern English. Ilk has been established in English with its current meaning and part of speech since the late 18th century.
Synonyms
Examples of ilk in a Sentence
Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 28 May 2024
Among that ilk was Michael Kenneally, a mischievous Irish butler employed for decades by my cousin, Sir Tatton Sykes, at his country estate, Sledmere, in the county of Yorkshire.
—Plum Sykes, New York Times, 14 May 2024
Jackson has never played with a dominant feature back of Henry’s ilk, and his arrival comes just one season after offensive coordinator Todd Monken was hired to transform Baltimore from a heavy, ground-and-pound scheme to a more wide-open, spread attack.
—Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2024
But as hospital-at-home and its ilk gain popularity, the care taking place at home is becoming more acute and complex.
—Jessica Kim, Fortune, 21 May 2024
And democratized music production due to GarageBand and its ilk has made possible the global ascent of DIY artists who could never have afforded to work in traditional studios.
—Michael Gallant, Billboard, 15 May 2024
But Agatha and other shows of its ilk may have been too far along for Iger to cancel.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 8 May 2024
The disappearance of so many books of the same ilk from so many countries in a relatively short period is unprecedented, experts said.
—Rachel Donadio, New York Times, 1 May 2024
Mashers, spooners, and their ilk were just one aspect of the changing urban landscape in the early 20th century: public morality, crime, and other issues were alarming to a large segment of society.
—Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ilk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ilk
Cite this Entry
“Ilk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ilk. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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