sterling

Everyday

1. Sterling is the money of the United Kingdom; its main unit is the pound (£). «Pound sterling» is its full name. tree →
2. Sterling silver is silver that is 92.5% pure. tree →
3. Sterling (adjective) means excellent and reliable: sterling work, a sterling effort. tree →

In the lessons

Money and maths: in the UK, prices are in pounds sterling: £1 = 100 pence. Exchange rates show how many dollars or euros you get for one pound. Everyday praise (UK): «You've done sterling work» means very good work. Jewellery: sterling silver often has a little stamp, 925.

Examples

• The price is given in pounds sterling. tree →
• £1 sterling is worth 100 pence. tree →
• Grandma's necklace is sterling silver. tree →
• The volunteers did sterling work at the fair. tree →
• We changed our sterling into euros for the trip to Ireland. tree →
• The goalkeeper made a sterling save. tree →
• Sterling is one of the oldest currencies still used. tree →

Note

The money name is not capitalised: sterling, pound sterling. The symbol £ goes before the number: £5, not 5£. Note: in Ireland (the Republic), the money is the euro; Northern Ireland uses sterling.