1. (Abbr. ster. or stg.) British money, especially the pound as the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom.
2. British coinage of silver or gold, having as a standard of fineness 0.500 for silver and 0.91666 for gold.
3. 1. Sterling silver.
   2. Articles, such as tableware, made of sterling silver.

1. Consisting of or relating to sterling or British money.
2. Made of sterling silver: a sterling teaspoon.
3. Of the highest quality: a person of sterling character.

[Middle English, silver penny : possibly sterre, star; see star + -ling, diminutive suff. (from the small star stamped on the coin); see -ling¹.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.