Word
ilk
US/ˈɪɫk/
UK/ˈɪlk/
Definition
n. a group of people or things that are similar to each other. You use this to describe a specific type of person or object.
n. a group or class of people or things of a particular type. Often used in the phrase 'of the same ilk' to indicate similarity in nature or quality.
Examples
“The company decided to stop producing cars of that ilk and focus on more modern, electric vehicles.”
“The historian argued that the two leaders were of a different ilk, as one was driven by personal ambition while the other sought collective prosperity for his nation.”
Examples
contextual
“The company decided to stop producing cars of that ilk and focus on more modern, electric vehicles.”
complex
“The historian argued that the two leaders were of a different ilk, as one was driven by personal ambition while the other sought collective prosperity for his nation.”
Real-World Examples
“Aside from coming with Truth Social predownloaded (you can uninstall it), it looks and feels exactly how I would expect a phone of that ilk to look and feel.” Etymology
Inherited from Middle English ilke, from Old English ilca, conjectured as 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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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