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

Recipients nearly doubled their average monthly income to 18,600 shillings — about $143 US — per month. —Jacob Kushner, Vox, 23 June 2024

For agreeing to go with the man, he was given 40,000 Kenyan shillings ($470) in cash for his family, a huge sum of money for a resident of Majengo. —Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, Foreign Affairs, 10 Jan. 2013

The sum of 10 shillings bought you a year’s subscription—that’s about 2 pence for every weekly four-page issue—and subscribers grew from a feeble 90 to more than 1,500 in 1748. —Adam Smyth, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024

De Hales left Basilia, gave up his shop, and sold all of his possessions, including two feather beds, and some pots and utensils worth two shillings and sixpence. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024

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

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