lijkheid

Lijkheid is a Dutch noun that historically denotes likeness or resemblance between things, people, or ideas. In contemporary standard Dutch the term is uncommon and mostly found in linguistic, literary, or historical discussions; more common synonyms are gelijkenis, overeenstemming, or vergelijking.

Etymology and history: The word is formed from a stem lijk- meaning appearance or form, with the abstract-noun suffix -heid. It appears in older texts to describe how two objects shared a similar form, character, or function. The sense is primarily qualitative rather than numerical, and it can carry evaluative nuance depending on context. The term is not generally used in modern everyday Dutch and should not be confused with lijk, the word for corpse, though the two may share a historical root in some dialects or spellings.

Usage and contexts: In philology, aesthetics, and classical rhetoric, lijkheid may express a conceptual or visual likeness—such as a comparison between artworks or between textual figures. In philosophy, it can appear in discussions of similarity criteria or analogical reasoning. Because the term is archaic or stylistic, its use often signals a formal or historical register.

Modern status: Today, lijkheid is largely of historical interest. Writers and dictionaries typically favor gelijkenis or vergelijking to convey resemblance, reserving lijkheid for antique tone, specialized discourse, or philological notes about older language.

See also: gelijkenis, vergelijking, overeenkomst, analogie, verhouding.