sterling

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. British money, especially the pound as the basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom.
2. n. British coinage of silver or gold, having as a standard of fineness 0.500 for silver and 0.91666 for gold.
3. n. Sterling silver.
4. n. Articles, such as tableware, made of sterling silver.
5. adj. Consisting of or relating to sterling or British money.
6. adj. Made of sterling silver: a sterling teaspoon.
7. adj. Of the highest quality: a person of sterling character.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. An obsolete form of starling.
2. n. A silver coin struck by English (and Scottish) kings from the time of Richard I. (1190).
3. n. English money.
4. Of fixed or standard national value; conforming to the national standard of value: said of English money, and, by extension, of the precious metals: as, a pound sterling; a shilling sterling. Abbreviated ster., stg.
5. Of acknowledged worth or influence; authoritative.
6. Genuine; true; pure; hence, of great value or excellence.
7. n. See starling.

Wiktionary

1. n. the currency of the United Kingdom; especially the pound
2. n. former British gold or silver coinage of a standard fineness: for gold 0.91666 and for silver 0.925.
3. n. sterling silver, or articles made from this material
4. n. A structure of pilings that protects the piers of a bridge; a starling.
5. adj. of, or relating to British currency, or the former British coinage
6. adj. of, relating to, or made from sterling silver
7. adj. high quality

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Engin.) Same as starling, 3.
2. n. Any English coin of standard value; coined money.
3. n. A certain standard of quality or value for money.
4. adj. Belonging to, or relating to, the standard British money of account, or the British coinage
5. adj. Genuine; pure; of excellent quality; conforming to the highest standard; of full value.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. British money; especially the pound sterling as the basic monetary unit of the UK
2. adj. highest in quality