sterling

¹ American  

[stur-ling] / ˈstɜr lɪŋ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or noting British money.

   The sterling equivalent is #5.50.

2. (of silver) having the standard fineness of 0.925.

3. made of silver of this fineness.

   a sterling teapot.

4. thoroughly excellent.

   a man of sterling worth.

   Synonyms:

   first-rate, worthy, honorable, noble

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noun

1. British currency.

2. the standard of fineness for gold and silver coin in the United Kingdom, 0.91666 for gold and 0.500 for silver.

3. Also called sterling silver.  silver having a fineness of 0.925, now used especially in the manufacture of table utensils, jewelry, etc.

4. manufactured articles of sterling silver.

5. sterling flatware.

Sterling ² American  

[stur-ling] / ˈstɜr lɪŋ /

noun

1. a city in NW Illinois.

2. a city in NE Colorado.

3. a male given name.

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sterling ¹ British  

/ ˈstɜːlɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. British money

      pound sterling

   2. ( as modifier )

      sterling reserves

2. the official standard of fineness of British coins: for gold 0.91666 and for silver 0.925

3. 1. short for sterling silver

   2. ( as modifier )

      a sterling bracelet

4. an article or articles manufactured from sterling silver

5. a former British silver penny

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adjective

1. (prenominal) genuine and reliable; first-class

   sterling quality

Sterling ² British  

/ ˈstɜːlɪŋ /

noun

1. Peter. born 1960, Australian rugby league player: played 18 matches for Australia (1982–88)

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Other Word Forms

• sterlingly adverb
• sterlingness noun

Etymology

Origin of sterling

1250–1300; Middle English: name of a silver coin ( star, -ling ¹ ), with reference to the little star on some of the mintages

Example Sentences

With revenue and earnings growing in the double digits, and a sterling balance sheet, “Microsoft is as attractive as it has almost ever been,” he says.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Some €10 short, and the check-in desk not accepting pounds sterling, they were able to convince one of the locals to swap a £10 note and they were on their way.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Melodrama doesn’t exactly have the most sterling reputation for discerning cinema viewers.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

The independent, nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which has a sterling decades-long record of election forecasting, said the most probable outcome is a wash.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

In the colt’s eighteenth start, for no explicable reason, he finally won, clocking a sterling time.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Related Words

• admirable
• excellent
• first-rate
• magnificent
• marvelous
• outstanding
• splendid
• stunning