From Old Danish likna, derived with the inchoative suffix -ne from lig (“similar”). Compare Swedish likna, English liken, Middle Low German līkenen. It has replaced an older verb without -n, *galīkōną, hence Old English ġelīcian, German gleichen, Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍉𐌽 (galeikōn).