netlike
|net-like|
/ˈnɛtlaɪk/
like a net
Etymology
'netlike' originates from Old English, specifically the words 'net' and the suffix '-līc', where 'net' meant 'a mesh, net' and '-līc' meant 'like' or 'having the form of'.
'net' was present in Old English as 'net(t)' and derives from earlier Germanic roots meaning a woven mesh; the adjectival suffix '-līc' (Old English) produced adjectives. The compound formed in Middle to Modern English by combining these elements to denote something 'having the form of a net'.
Initially it meant 'having the form of a net' in a literal, physical sense; over time the usage also extended figuratively to mean 'network- or web-like' in patterns and relations.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
resembling or having the physical structure of a net; made of or arranged like a mesh.
The artist created a delicate netlike sculpture from thin wire.
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Adjective 2
resembling a network in pattern or connections; having a web- or network-like arrangement (often used figuratively).
The town's streets spread out in a netlike pattern across the valley.
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Last updated: 2025/11/19 22:49