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• sterling
  sterling

  adjective

  of, relating to, or noting British money.
• Sterling
  Sterling

  noun

  a city in NW Illinois.

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

• sterlingness
  noun
• sterlingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of sterling

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sterling Sterling

There was a specific issue Farage was concerned about - speculation that the Bank of England would push ahead with a limit on holdings of potential sterling stablecoins of between £10,000 and £20,000.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

Since then, sterling has broadly strengthened and taken advantage of a weaker dollar and is currently near the top of its post-Brexit range.

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

The play, drawn directly from transcripts of hearings and other factual material, is an early and sterling example of the documentary-drama genre that has become a staple of contemporary theater.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

They had previously considered other plaintiffs — including fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin — and ultimately concluded that Parks, a mature, married woman of sterling reputation, would present more effectively to white juries and the white press.

From Salon ● May 20, 2026

And I get a gorgeous sterling silver treble clef pendant with my birthstone.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

If you’d rather stay in and watch TV, you should cue up Amazon’s latest hit show, Sterling Point.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

Sterling Nasa proceeded to stun composer-conductor Justin Hurwitz and the 2,000-person audience with his flawless, impromptu performance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

Sterling eventually left on a free transfer in January 2026.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

However, records indicate that the family had only ever leased the property—which is actually registered to a trust tied to billionaire real estate moguls and former Los Angeles Clippers owners Rochelle and Donald Sterling.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

But now Mrs. Sterling felt a slight, nagging fear that Nurse Beverly was gifted at more than bottle prep and the proper positioning of a baby in need of a good, solid burp.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

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