sterling

1 of 2

noun

ster·​ling ˈstər-liŋ 

1

: British money

2

: sterling silver or articles of it

sterling

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: of, relating to, or calculated in terms of British sterling

b

: payable in sterling

2

a

of silver : having a fixed standard of purity usually defined legally as represented by an alloy of 925 parts of silver with 75 parts of copper

b

: made of sterling silver

3

: conforming to the highest standard

sterling character

a sterling record of achievement

sterlingly adverb

sterlingness noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• excellent
• superb
• stellar
• terrific
• lovely
• wonderful
• great
• beautiful
• fantastic
• fabulous
• awesome
• fine
• marvellous
• prime
• marvelous
• quality

Examples of sterling in a Sentence

Noun

a drop in the value of sterling

Adjective

a sterling example of democracy at work

credited the win to the pitcher's sterling performance on the mound

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The overall value of each portion tallies more than $500k before it’s subjected to currency conversion costs from US dollars into UK pound sterling, alongside relevant employer costs, taxes and social security costs. —Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025

The fee in pounds sterling has been reported across the English media as £69 million, potentially rising to £79 million. —James Nalton, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025

Adjective

Sustainability Leadership Award: Valentine Silver International Founded in 2004 the company specializes in 925 sterling silver, gold and brass fashion jewelry using more than 150 natural gemstones. —Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025

These sterling silver stunners look just as chic on their own, with a clean, mid-sized silhouette that delivers subtle impact without overpowering your look. —Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, silver penny, probably from Old English *steorling, from Old English steorra star + -ling entry 1 — more at star

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sterling

• sterling area
• sterling bloc

Rhymes for sterling

• burling
• curling
• hurling
• pearling
• sperling
• swirling
• twirling
• whirling
• yearling
• unfurling

Kids Definition

sterling

1 of 2 noun

ster·​ling ˈstər-liŋ 

1

: British money

2

: sterling silver or articles of it

sterling

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to British sterling

2

: being or made of an alloy of 925 parts of silver with 75 parts of copper

sterling silver

3

: excellent

Etymology

Noun

so called from the phrase "a pound sterling," meaning the British pound as a monetary unit, but originally "a pound (by weight) of sterlings," from Middle English sterling "silver penny"