sterling

¹

[stur-ling]

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

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

[stur-ling]

noun

1. a city in NW Illinois.

2. a city in NE Colorado.

3. a male given name.

sterling

¹

/ 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

adjective

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

   sterling quality

Sterling

²

/ ˈstɜːlɪŋ /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

• sterlingly adverb
• sterlingness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sterling¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sterling¹

C13: probably from Old English steorra _star + _-ling ¹ ; referring to a small star on early Norman pennies; related to Old French esterlin

Example Sentences

Yields on U.K. government bonds, known as gilts, rose from low levels, while sterling eased as investors turned their focus to concerns about backloaded tax hikes in Wednesday’s U.K. budget.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Uncertainty ahead of Wednesday’s U.K. budget prompted traders to increase their protection against big swings in sterling in recent days.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Other highlights include a sterling silver exemplar of “Box of Smile,” which is a small box containing a mirror inside.

Read more on Salon

The combination of fiscal sustainability concerns and rate-cut expectations prompted options market traders to bet on a weaker sterling ahead of the budget.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Ahead of a crucial U.K. budget on Wednesday, U.K. sovereign bond yields and sterling were also steady.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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