alike
/əˈlaɪk/
adjective/adverb
Origin
Old English
anlic — similar, resembling
Overview
Meaning Now
- of the same form, appearance, or nature; similar.
- in the same way or manner.
Literal older meaning
on like (in a like manner)
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
anlic
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word is a cognate of the German 'gleich' and the Dutch 'gelijk'. It reflects the Germanic tendency to create adjectives describing similarity by referencing the 'form' or 'body' (*līk-) of the objects being compared.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*ga-līkaz
“of the same form”
Combination of the prefix *ga- (collective) and *līkaz (body/form).
- Old English
anlic
“similar”
The 'an-' prefix evolved to 'a-' by the Middle English period.
- Middle English
alike
“in a like manner or similar”
Standardized spelling emerged.
Connections
Word parts
a-
prefix
in, on (an intensive or directional prefix)
like
root
form, shape, body
Related across languages
German
gleich
same, equal
Dutch
gelijk
similar, same
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Related to alike
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.