ähnlich

From Middle High German anelich, enlich (“alike”), from Old High German *analīh (attested in derivatives), a contraction of anagilīh, from Proto-Germanic *anagalīkaz, from *ana (“on”) + *galīkaz (“like”), that is “almost identical”. Compare German angleichen. Cognate with Middle Dutch aenlijck, English alike, Old Norse álíkr.

The contemporary form is possibly from a merger of Middle High German anelich with East Central German einlich, but it is uncertain whether the latter is from ein (“one”) +‎ -lich (“-ly”) or merely an alteration of the former. The form may also have been reinforced by interpretation as Ahn (“ancestor”) +‎ -lich; this noun is not related.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛːnlɪç/, [ˈʔɛːn.lɪç], [ˈʔeːn-]

• Audio (Germany):

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• Audio (Germany):

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• Hyphenation: ähn‧lich

ähnlich (strong nominative masculine singular ähnlicher, comparative ähnlicher, superlative am ähnlichsten)

1. similar, alike, resembling [with dative or wie (+ case of preceding noun) ‘to someone/something’]
   • 2017, Neuer Zürcher Zeitung, (headline), 6 April:

     Facebook behandelt «Revenge Porn» fortan ähnlich wie Kinderpornografie.

     Facebook to treat "revenge porn" similarly to child pornography.

   auf ähnliche Weise.

   in a similar manner.

• “ähnlich” in Duden online
• “ähnlich” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache