Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “liken” come from?

liken (Middle English) comes from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos, from Proto-Indo-European -no- — adjectival suffix.

liken (Middle English): to like, please

Definitions

  1. to like, please

Ancestry of “liken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle English-enDenotes the past participle form when attached to...
2Old English-enmæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;...
3Old Norse-innUsed to create adjectives from nouns, meaning...
4Proto-Norse-īna-—
5Proto-Germanic-īnaz-en
6Proto-Indo-European-iHnosCreates adjectives of materials
7Proto-Indo-European-no-adjectival suffix

Words derived from “liken”

  • dislike
  • liking
  • likeable
  • likable
  • suchlike
  • lyke
  • likest
  • liker
  • likeability
  • liketh
  • unlikable
  • unlikeable
  • dislikable
  • likableness
  • likeableness
  • lyketh
  • likeably
  • dislikest
  • disliker
  • disliketh
  • plainlike
  • likesome
  • dislikeness
  • likably
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -no- →