lik

See also: lík, -lik, and -lık

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lɪk/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: lik
• Rhymes: -ɪk

Etymology 1

From likken.

Noun

lik m (plural likken, diminutive likje n)

1. lick (a caress with the tongue)
2. (especially in the diminutive) a small amount

Verb

lik

1. inflection of likken:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

Etymology 2

Unclear.

Noun

lik f (plural likken, diminutive likje n)

1. (Netherlands, Bargoens) prison, jail

   Synonyms: bajes, bak, gevang, gevangenis, nor

Anagrams

• kil

German

Etymology

Borrowing from English to like

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

lik

1. singular imperative of liken
2. (colloquial) first-person singular present of liken

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈlik]
• Rhymes: -ik

Noun

lik (plural likak)

1. (dialectal) Alternative form of lyuk

Declension

Inflection (stem in -a-, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	lik	likak
accusative	likat	likakat
dative	liknak	likaknak
instrumental	likkal	likakkal
causal-final	likért	likakért
translative	likká	likakká
terminative	likig	likakig
essive-formal	likként	likakként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	likban	likakban
superessive	likon	likakon
adessive	liknál	likaknál
illative	likba	likakba
sublative	likra	likakra
allative	likhoz	likakhoz
elative	likból	likakból
delative	likról	likakról
ablative	liktól	likaktól
non-attributive possessive – singular	liké	likaké
non-attributive possessive – plural	likéi	likakéi

Possessive forms of lik

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	likam	likaim
2nd person sing.	likad	likaid
3rd person sing.	lika	likai
1st person plural	likunk	likaink
2nd person plural	likatok	likaitok
3rd person plural	likuk	likaik

Derived terms

• likacska
• likas

Further reading

• lik in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.

Jamaican Creole

Alternative forms

• lick

Etymology

Derived from English lick.

Verb

lik

1. to hit, to strike
   • 2012, Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment, Edinburgh: DJB, published 2012, →ISBN, Jan 2:15:

     So im get som ruop an tek dem mek wan wip. Den im yuuz di wip an ron out di uol a di sela dem outa di yaad: dem an dem kou an dem shiip an dem dov. Im lik uova di piipl dem we a chienj out moni kain dem, an im ton uova aal a dem tiebl dem.

     He got some rope and made a whip. He used the whip to drive all the sellers out of the temple, along with their cattle, sheep, and doves. He struck the moneychangers and turned over their tables.

Further reading

• lik at majstro.com
• lik at JamaicanPatwah.com

Livonian

Verb

lik

1. inflection of likkõ:
   1. first/second/third-person singular negative form
   2. second-person singular imperative

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse líkr, alternative spelling of glíkr, from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz.

Adjective

lik (neuter singular likt, definite singular and plural like, comparative likere, indefinite superlative likest, definite superlative likeste)

1. similar, alike
2. equal

Antonyms

• ulik
• forskjellig

Derived terms

• likekjønnet
• likelønn
• likestille
• likhet
• likne, ligne

Etymology 2

From Old Norse lík, from Proto-Germanic *līką, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“image, likeness; similar, like”).

Noun

lik n (definite singular liket, indefinite plural lik, definite plural lika or likene)

1. a corpse, (dead) body

Derived terms

• likblek, likbleik
• likkiste
• over mitt lik

Etymology 3

From Old Norse lík (“leech”).

Noun

lik n (definite singular liket, indefinite plural lik, definite plural lika or likene)

1. edge of a sail; leech

Etymology 4

Verb

lik

1. imperative of like

References

• “lik” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liːk/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse líkr, alternative spelling of glíkr, from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz.

Adjective

lik (neuter singular likt, definite singular and plural like, comparative likare, indefinite superlative likast, definite superlative likaste)

1. similar, alike
2. equal
3. good (mainly used in comparative and superlative form)
   • 1895, Per Sivle, Vaar-Vôn:

     Og kjenner du inkje ikvell ikvell, at Livet, det er no det likaste lell?

     And can you not feel, tonight, tonight, that life is the best thing after all?

Antonyms

• ulik
• forskjellig
• ymis

Derived terms

• likeløn, likelønn
• likestille
• likesæl

Etymology 2

From Old Norse lík, from Proto-Germanic *līką, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“image, likeness; similar, like”).

Noun

lik n (definite singular liket, indefinite plural lik, definite plural lika)

1. a corpse, (dead) body

Derived terms

• likkiste
• likluke
• over mitt lik

Etymology 3

From Old Norse lík (“leech”).

Noun

lik n (definite singular liket, indefinite plural lik, definite plural lika)

1. edge of a sail; leech

Etymology 4

Verb

lik

1. imperative of like

References

• “lik” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Norse

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

lík n

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Declension

Declension of lik (strong a-stem)

neuter	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	līk	līkit	līk	līkin
accusative	līk	līkit	līk	līkin
dative	līki	līkinu	līkum	līkunum
genitive	līks	līksins	līka	līkanna

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *līk, from Proto-Germanic *līką.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liːk/

Noun

līk n

1. dead body, corpse
2. torso

Declension

līk (neuter a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	līk	līk
accusative	līk	līk
genitive	līkes	līkō
dative	līke	līkun
instrumental	—	—

Old Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse lík, from Proto-Germanic *līką.

Noun

līk n

1. shape, semblance, appearance
2. corpse

Declension

Declension of līk (strong a-stem)

neuter	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	līk	līkit	līk	līkin
accusative	līk	līkit	līk	līkin
dative	līki, līke	līkinu, līkeno	līkum, līkom	līkumin, līkomen
genitive	līks	līksins	līka	līkanna

Descendants

• Swedish: lik

Polish

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈlik/

• (Lesser Poland):
  • (Kielce) IPA^(key): /ˈlik/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ik
• Syllabification: lik
• Homophone: lig

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *likъ.

Noun

lik m inan

1. (obsolete) quantity, amount, number

   Synonyms: ilość, liczba, stan liczbowy, stan liczebny

Declension

Declension of lik

	singular
nominative	lik
genitive	liku
dative	likowi
accusative	lik
instrumental	likiem
locative	liku
vocative	liku

Derived terms

noun

• bezlik

numeral

• bez liku

Etymology 2

See lek.

Noun

lik m inan

1. (Kielce) Alternative form of lek

Further reading

• lik in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• Jan Łoś (1886) “liki”, in “Gwara opoczyńska. Studium dialektologiczne”, in Rozprawy i Sprawozdania z Posiedzeń Wydziału Filologicznego Akademii Umiejętności (1), volume 11, page 185

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *likъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lîːk/

Noun

lȋk m (Cyrillic spelling ли̑к)

1. form, shape, figure, appearance
2. image, effigy
3. character, persona (in a work of art)
4. (by extension, colloquial) guy, bloke, dude, character

   Ti si neki čudan lik. ― You're a weird guy.

Declension

Declension of lik

	singular	plural
nominative	lȋk	lìkovi
genitive	lika	likova
dative	liku	likovima
accusative	lik	likove
vocative	liku	likovi
locative	liku	likovima
instrumental	likom	likovima

Derived terms

• oblik
• slika
• likovni

Further reading

• “lik”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Swedish

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈliːk/
• Rhymes: -iːk

Etymology 1

From Old Swedish līker, from Old Norse líkr, glíkr, from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz. Cognate with English like (but see usage notes).

Adjective

lik (comparative mer lik, superlative mest lik)

1. looking like, resembling (in appearance or other characteristics)

   Du är lik henne. Samma näsa.

   You look like (resemble) her. Same nose.

   Du är lik henne till sättet

   You are like (resemble) her in manner

   Han är lik sin far

   He resembles his father (same ambiguity as in English)

   Den nya processen är lik den gamla

   The new process is similar to (resembles) the old one

2. (in the plural) alike, same (the same or similar)

   Min bror och jag är inte lika alls

   My brother and I are very different (not alike at all)

   De är lika. Skurkar båda två!

   They're the same. Crooks the both of them!

   x och y är lika

   x and y are equal

Usage notes

Lik is best understood as meaning "similar in appearance" in the singular, with uses similar to English like arising from that. An example that illustrates the difference from English like is "Du är lik Michael Jackson," which would always be understood as "You look like Michael Jackson" without strong clues towards other characteristics, as the intuition is "You are similar in appearance to Michael Jackson." In "Du är lik henne till sättet" (You are like her in manner), the intuition is "Your manner and her manner have a similar appearance / look like one another," meaning they are similar, or like one another.

English like may partially be considered a false friend. "You are like her" would most naturally be translated as "Du är som henne" (You are as her).

Declension

Inflection of lik

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	lik	mer lik	mest lik
neuter singular	likt	mer likt	mest likt
plural	lika	mer lika	mest lika
masculine plural2	like	mer lika	mest lika
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	like	mer like	mest like
all	lika	mer lika	mest lika

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Antonyms

• olik

See also

• likna
• se ut (look (like))

Etymology 2

From Old Swedish līk, from Old Norse lík, from Proto-Germanic *līką, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“image, likeness; similar, like”).

Noun

lik n

1. a corpse, a dead body
2. the edge of a sail, either free or following mast or boom

Declension

Declension of lik

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	lik	liks
	definite	liket	likets
plural	indefinite	lik	liks
	definite	liken	likens

Derived terms

• likbil (“hearse”) (when a car)
• likbål
• likkista (“coffin, casket”)
• likskändare
• likskändning
• likvagn (“hearse”) (when a carriage)

See also

• as
• kadaver

References

• lik in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• lik in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• lik in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Anagrams

• kil

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English leak.

Noun

lik

1. leak

West Flemish

Etymology

From Middle Dutch gelijc, from Old Dutch *gilīk, from Proto-West Germanic *galīk.

Conjunction

lik

1. like, such as

Yola

Verb

lik

1. Alternative form of lick
   • 1927, “YOLA ZONG O BARONY VORTH”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 132, line 4:

     Fan Buckeen hay pooked lik own thing mad.

     When Buckeen he jumped like a thing mad.

   • 1927, “YOLA ZONG O BARONY VORTH”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 132, line 10:

     Aal haar, an wi eyen lik torches o tar?"

     "All hair, and with eyes like torches of tar,"

   • 1927, “PAUDEEN FOUGHLAAN'S WEDDEEN”, in THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD, page 133, line 19:

     A pipere vel bak lik own in a smote,

     The piper fell back like one well smitten,

References

• Kathleen A. Browne (1927) “THE ANCIENT DIALECT OF THE BARONIES OF FORTH AND BARGY, COUNTY WEXFORD.”, in Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of lreland (Sixth Series)‎^[1], volume 17, number 2, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, page 132

Zhuang

Alternative forms

• lek

Etymology

From Proto-Tai *ʰlekᴰ (“iron”), from Old Chinese 鐵 (OC *l̥ʰiːɡ, “iron”). Cognate with Thai เหล็ก (lèk), Lao ເຫຼັກ (lek), Shan လဵၵ်း (láek), Lü ᦵᦜᧅ (l̇ek), Tai Nüa ᥘᥥᥐᥱ (lěk), Ahom 𑜎𑜢𑜀𑜫 (lik), Nong Zhuang liak. Doublet of diet.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Zhuang) IPA^(key): /lik˥/
• Tone numbers: lik⁷
• Hyphenation: lik

Noun

lik (1957–1982 spelling lik)

1. (dialectal) iron (metal)

   Synonym: diet