From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Sterling \Ster"ling\, n. (Engin.)
Same as {Starling}, 3.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Sterling \Ster"ling\, a.
1. Belonging to, or relating to, the standard British money
of account, or the British coinage; as, a pound sterling;
a shilling sterling; a penny sterling; -- now chiefly
applied to the lawful money of England; but sterling cost,
sterling value, are used. "With sterling money." --Shak.
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2. Genuine; pure; of excellent quality; conforming to the
highest standard; of full value; as, a work of sterling
merit; a man of sterling good sense.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Sterling \Ster"ling\, n. [OE. sterlynge, starling, for
easterling, LL. esterlingus, probably from Easterling, once
the popular name of German trades in England, whose money was
of the purest quality: cf. MHG. sterlink a certain coin. Cf.
{East}. "Certain merchants of Norwaie, Denmarke, and of
others those parties, called Ostomanni, or (as in our vulgar
language we tearme them), easterlings, because they lie east
in respect of us." --Holinshed. "In the time of . . . King
Richard the First, monie coined in the east parts of Germanie
began to be of especiall request in England for the puritie
thereof, and was called Easterling monie, as all inhabitants
of those parts were called Easterlings, and shortly after
some of that countrie, skillful in mint matters and allaies,
were sent for into this realme to bring the coine to
perfection; which since that time was called of them
sterling, for Easterling." --Camden. "Four thousand pound of
sterlings." --R. of Gloucester.]
1. Any English coin of standard value; coined money.
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So that ye offer nobles or sterlings. --Chaucer.
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And Roman wealth in English sterling view.
--Arbuthnot.
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2. A certain standard of quality or value for money.
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Sterling was the known and approved standard in
England, in all probability, from the beginning of
King Henry the Second's reign. --S. M. Leake.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Starling \Star"ling\ (-l[i^]ng), n. [OE. sterlyng, a dim. of OE.
stare, AS. staer; akin to AS. stearn, G. star, staar, OHG.
stara, Icel. starri, stari, Sw. stare, Dan. staer, L.
sturnus. Cf. {Stare} a starling.]
1. (Zool.) Any passerine bird belonging to {Sturnus} and
allied genera. The European starling ({Sturnus vulgaris})
is dark brown or greenish black, with a metallic gloss,
and spotted with yellowish white. It is a sociable bird,
and builds about houses, old towers, etc. Called also
{stare}, and {starred}. The pied starling of India is
{Sternopastor contra}.
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2. (Zool.) A California fish; the rock trout.
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3. A structure of piles driven round the piers of a bridge
for protection and support; -- called also {sterling}.
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{Rose-colored starling}. (Zool.) See {Pastor}.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
sterling
adj 1: highest in quality [syn: {greatest}, {sterling(a)},
{superlative}]
n 1: British money; especially the pound sterling as the basic
monetary unit of the UK
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