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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

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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

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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

Meranda, 34, bought a necklace advertised on Etsy as handmade sterling silver but says after a few days of wearing it her "neck started getting really irritated".

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Selling fake sterling silver is a breach of the Hallmarking Act and carries the risk of fines or imprisonment, says Langley.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Those rates can be lower for buyers with sterling credit history.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

U.K. public finances are tight, though the budget isn’t expected to contain anything that would upset U.K. government bonds or sterling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

She reminded them of all the pranks Tommy had played on them, of all the sterling qualities of the smartest student in their class, of why a girl, not a boy, should represent them.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

Sterling has risen notably in recent weeks against the euro and the dollar, ahead of an expected rise in interest rates.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

Sterling rose to a six-week high against the dollar and a 19-month high versus the euro as the BOE is widely expected to raise interest rates on Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Previous victims in the same area include footballers Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

One table over, Keiren Clasby, owner of the 16-acre Malibu Fig Ranch at Sterling Farms, sat with her workmate Cheri Caleb.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

“I met my wife in graduate school,” I said to Sandy Sterling.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

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Related Words

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

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