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

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Middle English	liknen	to compare; to be comparable, be equal; to form;...
2	Middle English	lik	same, similar, alike
3	Old English	ġelīc	like, similar; like, alike, similar, equal,...
4	Proto-West Germanic	galīk	alike, similar
5	Proto-Germanic	galīkaz	alike, similar; equal
6	Proto-Indo-European	leyǵ-	to bind, tie

liken — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer