ilk

¹ American  

[ilk] / ɪlk /

noun

1. 

   family, class, or kind.

   he and all his ilk.

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adjective

1. same.

idioms

1. of that ilk,

   1. (in Scotland) of the same family name or place.

      Ross of that ilk, i.e., Ross of Ross.

   2. of the same class or kind.

ilk ² American  

[ilk] / ɪlk /

pronoun

1. each.

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adjective

1. each; every.

ilk ¹ British  

/ ɪlk /

noun

1. a type; class; sort (esp in the phrase of that, his, her, etc, ilk )

   people of that ilk should not be allowed here

2. of the place of the same name: used to indicate that the person named is proprietor or laird of the place named

   Moncrieff of that ilk

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ilk ² British  

/ ɪlk /

determiner

1. each; every

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Usage

Although the use of ilk in the sense of sense 1 is sometimes condemned as being the result of a misunderstanding of the original Scottish expression of that ilk , it is nevertheless well established and generally acceptable

Etymology

Origin of ilk¹

before 900; Middle English ilke, Old English ilca (pronoun) the same, equivalent to demonstrative i (cognate with Gothic is he, Latin is that) + a reduced form of līc like ¹; cf. which, such

Origin of ilk²

before 900; Middle English ilk, north variant of ilch, Old English ylc (pronoun) each

Explanation

Ilk is a certain type of person, usually a type you don't care for. The word is used in sentences like "I'm tired of you and your ilk! When you say "you and your ilk," you mean "you and everyone just like you." And that's not usually meant in a nice way. You probably wouldn't talk about Nelson Mandela and his ilk — ilk sounds negative. Usually, you're talking about a criminal and his ilk, or a crooked politician and his ilk. If someone is talking about your ilk, it might be time to get new friends or change your ways.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ilk

A moratorium can’t prevent students from using ChatGPT and its ilk on home devices, but it does reduce opportunities to show them how to use it wisely.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

United have prioritised players of a certain ilk to begin the window.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Unfortunately for Carville and his ilk, that’s exactly why so many young progressives were tuning in to his stream in the first place.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026

Like many of its ilk, the Cliffwater fund does direct lending, mostly to finance private-equity buyouts of midsize companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

Skahaz was the Shavepate ... and the vilest of traitors to the Sons of the Harpy and their ilk.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin