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

But people with sterling credit scores who pay off their credit-card bills regularly might escape that new reality and keep taking advantage of rewards programs.

From MarketWatch

He also was a sonic architect—insisting that studio albums by the Dead sounded sterling and pushing for more distinctive live audio.

From The Wall Street Journal

With little on the economic calendar this week, sterling is left to trade on broader risk appetite.

From The Wall Street Journal

A better-than-feared U.K. budget in November prompted investors to trim earlier bets against sterling, supporting the currency’s recent recovery.

From The Wall Street Journal

Unai Emery has done a sterling job in leading Aston Villa from the edge of the relegation spots back into Europe and title contention this season, three points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.

From BBC

Related Words

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