Where does “-like” come from?
-like (Middle English) comes from Middle English like, from Old English ġelīc, from Proto-West Germanic galīk, from Proto-Germanic galīkaz — alike, similar; equal.
-like (Middle English): Alternative form of -liche
Definitions
- Alternative form of -liche
Ancestry of “-like”, step by step
-like traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English like
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | like | pleasure, will, like |
| 2 | Old English | ġelīc | like, similar; like, alike, similar, equal,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | galīk | alike, similar |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | galīkaz | alike, similar; equal |
via Middle English lik
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lik | same, similar, alike |