of, relating to, or noting British money.
The sterling equivalent is #5.50.
(of silver) having the standard fineness of 0.925.
made of silver of this fineness.
a sterling teapot.
thoroughly excellent.
a man of sterling worth.
British currency.
the standard of fineness for gold and silver coin in the United Kingdom, 0.91666 for gold and 0.500 for silver.
Also called sterling silver. silver having a fineness of 0.925, now used especially in the manufacture of table utensils, jewelry, etc.
manufactured articles of sterling silver.
sterling flatware.
a city in NW Illinois.
a city in NE Colorado.
a male given name.
British money
pound sterling
( as modifier )
sterling reserves
the official standard of fineness of British coins: for gold 0.91666 and for silver 0.925
short for sterling silver
( as modifier )
a sterling bracelet
an article or articles manufactured from sterling silver
a former British silver penny
1250–1300; Middle English: name of a silver coin ( see star, -ling 1), with reference to the little star on some of the mintages
Sterling is British money, but it also describes anything of very high quality. A sterling report card has all A’s, and sterling manners are needed for a visit with the Queen of England. Sterling is a word for British currency, and although the jury is still out, the word sterling may be from the Middle English word for "star," sterre from the stars that appeared in the design of certain Norman (really old British) coins. Sterling can still refer to money, but it also describes something great. A sterling reputation is a flawless, immaculate reputation.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But Sterling added that “there are multiple lawsuits regarding Venice Dell, and those still need to be dealt with.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Lisa Minto, an assistant vice president at Sterling Asset Management, advises capital preservation in your 70s.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Sterling has 82 England caps, the last of which was won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
That for me is interesting to see how folks do and Sterling K. Brown, where’s he in all of this?
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
She didn’t like how Mrs. Sterling said the word “android” like it was something to look down on, something to disdain.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
