Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

sterling

/ˈstɜːlɪŋ/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about sterling at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An English silver penny first introduced by the Normans.
A penny issued in other countries, such as Scotland. The currency of the United Kingdom, also called the pound sterling Short for sterling silver (“an alloy containing not less than 92.5 percent silver, the remainder usually being copper; articles made from this alloy collectively”). Former British gold or silver coinage of a standard fineness (0.91666 for gold and 0.925 for silver). Synonym of pennyweight (“a unit of mass equal to 24 grains, or ⁄20 of a troy ounce”) Money generally. The standard degree of fineness.
A penny issued in other countries, such as Scotland.

adjective

Of or relating to the currency of the United Kingdom, or former types of English or British coinage. Of silver: being of standard quality. Of a thing: of or relating to, or made from, sterling silver. Of English (or Scottish) currency: genuine, of legal tender.
Of or relating to the currency of the United Kingdom, or former types of English or British coinage.
Of silver: being of standard quality.

noun

Obsolete form of starling (“a family, Sturnidae, of passerine birds; specifically, the common starling, Sturnus vulgaris, which has dark, iridescent plumage”). .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}

noun

Obsolete form of starling (“an enclosure like a coffer-dam, formed of piles driven closely together before any structure or work, as a protection against the wash of waves, commonly used to protect the piers of a bridge”).

Origin

From Middle English sterling, possibly from Old English *steorling, from steorra (“star”) and -ling, in reference to the stars that appeared on certain English pennies. Alternatively, the first element may be *stēre, meaning “strong” or “stout” (compare the etymology of solidus).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word