• adj. 純正的；英幣的；純銀制的
• n. 英國貨幣；標準純銀
• n. (Sterling)人名；(德)施特林；(英、西、瑞典)斯特林

來自古英語 staerlinc,椋鳥，來自 staer,椋鳥，來自 Proto-Germanic*staraz,椋鳥，來自 PIE*stern, 椋鳥。-ling,小詞后綴。

可能來自中古英語 sterre,銀幣，銀便士，字面意思為星星，詞源同 star,星星，-ling,小詞后綴。 可能因諾曼人所鑄造的硬幣上曾出現過星星狀圖案而得名。后用于英國貨幣代稱，縮寫自 pound sterling,一磅重的銀幣。

sterling

sterling: [13] Sterling ‘British money’ originated as a term for an English silver penny from the 13th to the 15th centuries. The first ones struck had the design of a small star on them – hence the name sterling (and its now defunct variant starling), literally ‘little star’. Two hundred and forty of such coins formed a unit of weight, known as a pound of sterlings. The earliest use of sterling as a general term for ‘English currency’ dates from the mid 16th century.
=> star

sterling (n.)

c. 1300, "silver penny," probably from Middle English sterre (see star (n.)), according to OED "presumably" from the stars that appeared in the design of certain Norman coins, + diminutive suffix -ling. But starred coins were not especially common among Anglo-Saxon currency, and the stars on them tended to be small. The other theory [Kluge] is that it derives from Old French estedre "stater" (see stater). Sense broadened by 1560s to "money having the quality of the sterling," and c. 1600 to "English money in general." As an adjective from early 15c. From 1640s in general sense of "capable of standing a test" (as a sound coin would). A pound sterling was originally "a pound weight of sterlings," equal to about 240 of them.

1. He said the over-valuation of sterling was throttling industry.

他認為英鎊價值過高阻礙了工業發展。

來自柯林斯例句

2. The Chancellor is boxed in by inflation targets and sterling.

財政大臣被通貨膨脹目標和英鎊逼得束手無策。

來自柯林斯例句

3. The stamps had to be paid for in sterling.

這些郵票必須用英鎊購買。

來自柯林斯例句

4. Those are sterling qualities to be admired in anyone.

那些是在任何人身上都值得敬佩的優秀品質。

來自柯林斯例句

5. Travel agents charge 1 per cent commission on sterling cheques.

旅行社對英鎊支票收取1%的服務費。

來自柯林斯例句