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ilk

Syllabification: (ilk)
Pronunciation: /ilk/
Translate ilk | into Spanish
Definition of ilk

noun

[in singular]
  • a type of people or things similar to those already referred to:the veiled suggestions that reporters of his ilk seem to be so good at there was music by Parry and Elgar and others of that ilk
  • (of that ilk) Scottish chiefly archaic of the place or estate of the same name:Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk

Origin:

Old English ilca 'same', of Germanic origin; related to alike

In modern usage, ilk is used in phrases such as of his ilk and of that ilk to mean ‘type’ or ‘sort.’ This sense 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.

ilk in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of ilk in the British & World English dictionary
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