# liken

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈlaɪk(ə)n/ · frequency rank #48,864

## Definitions
1. Followed by to or (archaic) unto: to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing; to compare.
2. Chiefly followed by to: to make (oneself, someone, or something) resemble another person or thing.
3. To represent or symbolize (something).
4. Followed by to: to be like or resemble; also, to become like.

## Etymology
From Middle English liknen (“to be comparable; to compare (often disparagingly); to make (someone) equal to another person; to regard (something) as equal to another thing; to regard (something) as likely; to resemble; to take (something) as a substitute; to apply, be adapted or suitable; to tend (to sin)”) [and other forms], from liken (“to be comparable; to compare; to be appropriate; to form”), from lik (“alike, analogous, similar; appropriate, suitable; equal; homogeneous; identical, the same; indicative; likely (to be or do something), probable; possible; simultaneous; more or most like (?)”) + -en (suffix forming infinitives of verbs). Lik is derived from Old English ġelīċ (“like, similar”), from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz (“like, similar; equal”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“like, similar; even, level”). The English word is analysable as like (adjective) + -en (suffix forming verbs with the sense ‘to make [adjective]’).

## Easily confused with
- **lin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lin)
- **live** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-live)
- **line** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-line)
- **Luke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-luke)
- **lion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lion)
- **lime** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lime)
- **lite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lite)
- **linn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-linn)
- **lire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lire)
- **Lise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lise)
- **lives** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lives)
- **lines** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lines)
- **lived** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lived)
- **likes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-likes)
- **liver** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-liver)
- **lined** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-lined)
- **liner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-liner)
- **linen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-linen)
- **liter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-liter)
- **livin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/liken-vs-livin)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ilken`, `liekn`, `likenn`, `likken`, `likne`, `lkien`, `lliken`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/liken