English Reference
Noun

likeness

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US /ˈɫaɪknəs/ UK /lˈaɪknəs/ like·ness UK spelling likeness's, likenesses

n.the quality of being similar to someone or something else. It can also mean a picture or statue that looks exactly like a person.

n.the state or quality of being alike; a pictorial or sculptural representation of a person. Often used in the context of physical resemblance between family members.


SIMPLE

The boy has a strong likeness to his father.

CONTEXTUAL

The museum recently acquired a bronze likeness of the former president, praised for its realistic detail.

COMPLEX

While the two sisters share a striking physical likeness, their temperaments are so diametrically opposed that one would hardly guess they were raised in the same household.

Usage

Often takes the preposition 'to' or 'between'.

Pitfall
the likeness with his brotherthe likeness to his brother

While 'similarity' often takes 'with', 'likeness' more naturally pairs with the preposition 'to'.

Users on social media noticed the shape of the stadium engraved on the medal appeared to be carved in the wrong likeness.

BBC News· 23 Aug 2026

Haley and Hanna Cavinder, who played college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes, were among the first student-athletes to sign major deals over their name, image and likeness.

The Conversation· 5 Aug 2026

From Middle English liknesse, from Old English līcness, ġelīcnes (“the quality of being like or equal; likeness; image; copy; pattern; example; parable”), from Proto-West Germanic *galīkanassī (“likeness”), equivalent to like + -ness. Cognate with West Frisian likenis (“likeness”), Dutch gelijkenis (“similarity; likeness; parable”), German Low German Glieknis (“form; semblance; likeness; parable”), German Gleichnis (“form; semblance; image; likeness; parable; simile”). The verb is derived from the noun. Compare also Old Norse líkneskja (“figure, image, appearance, likeness”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin gmw-pro *galīkanassī
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated