Where does “liken” come from?

Liken comes from Middle English liknen, meaning to compare or make similar.

liken (English): To compare; to state that is like

Definitions

  1. To compare; to state that is like

Ancestry of “liken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishliknento compare; to be comparable, be equal; to form;...
2Middle Englishliksame, similar, alike
3Old Englishġelīclike, similar; like, alike, similar, equal,...
4Proto-West Germanicgalīkalike, similar
5Proto-Germanicgalīkazalike, similar; equal
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

Words derived from “liken

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ-Every word from Proto-Germanic galīkazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic galīk
liken — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer