shilling

noun

shil·​ling ˈshi-liŋ 

1

a

: a former monetary unit of the United Kingdom equal to 12 pence or ¹/₂₀ pound

b

: a former monetary unit equal to ¹/₂₀ pound of any of various countries in or formerly in the Commonwealth of Nations

2

: a coin representing one shilling

3

: any of several early American coins

4

the basic monetary unit of Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda see Money Table

Examples of shilling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Businessman Chol Jook recorded monthly sales of 700,000 Kenyan shillings — about $5,400 — from the World Food Program cash transfer program and now faces losses. —Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025

Back in 1966, the currency used in the United Kingdom was the pre-decimal ‘pounds, shillings and pence’ and things cost a lot less money back then. —Will Jeanes, The Athletic, 13 July 2024

Six months ago, a thousand shillings ($7.73) were enough for cooking oil, flour, rice and sugar, said Ms. Okumu, chairwoman of SHOFCO’s urban network in Nairobi. —Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 4 May 2025

An experiment offered 360 drivers 6,000 Ugandan shillings a day ($1.64) – about a third of their daily income – to slow down. —Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 20 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English scilling; akin to Old High German skilling, a gold coin

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for shilling

• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• filling
• grilling
• killing
• milling
• pilling
• rilling
• schilling
• skilling
• spilling

Kids Definition

shilling

noun

shil·​ling ˈshil-iŋ 

1

: a former unit of British money equal to ¹⁄₂₀ pound

2

: a coin equal to ¹⁄₂₀ pound in any of several countries of the Commonwealth of Nations

3

: any of several early American coins

4

a

: the basic unit of money of Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda

b

: a coin representing this unit