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

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

Without any support, a month’s treatment costs 5,000 Kenyan shillings, out of reach not only for Mr. Mwaniki and many others working in Kenya’s large informal economy. —Daniel Kipchumba, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan. 2024

The cheapest painkillers cost around six cents, or ten Kenyan shillings, for a pack of two. —Elizabeth Wells and Eoin McSweeney, CNN, 5 Dec. 2023

Massachusetts closed January through July to deer hunting in 1694; the penalty for a first violation was 40 shillings, or roughly $460 in modern U.S. dollars. —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 29 Nov. 2023

The couple were ordered to pay 100 million Ugandan shillings or up to $28,000 in compensation to the boy. —Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023

Illicit meat eaters were fined 10 shillings and locked up for 10 days; repeat offenders got 20 and 20. —Robert Kunzig, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019

According to the New York Times, a farmer could sell one egg for a penny or 12 for a shilling (which equaled 12 pennies). —Micah A Leal, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2023

Kenya has also earmarked 5 billion shillings ($36 million) to expand the existing national school feeding program from 1 million children to 4 million and hopes to allocate more funding if more counties join the plan. —Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Sep. 2023

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