sterling
gb/stˈɚlɪŋ/ us/stˈɚlɪŋ/
B1
English
~ 3600
kiváló, első osztályú, feddhetetlen, remek, válogatott, font sterling, font, sterling ezüst, 925-ös ezüst
B2
1
Usage pattern:
sterling [work/service/reputation]
She did a sterling job organizing the fundraiser.
Kiváló munkát végzett az adománygyűjtő rendezvény megszervezésében.
His sterling reputation helped him win the election.
Feddhetetlen hírneve segített neki megnyerni a választást.
The team delivered a sterling performance in the finals.
We received sterling service at the hotel.
Her sterling leadership guided the company through tough times.
Learner examples
He did a sterling job on the project.
Kiváló munkát végzett a projekten.
The singer gave a sterling performance.
Az énekes kiváló előadást nyújtott.
She has a sterling reputation in her field.
We enjoyed sterling service at the restaurant.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sterling' with 'silver' when talking about quality; here it means excellent, not metallic.
Meaning
Excellent or of highest standard
Collocations
sterling reputation
|sterling work
|sterling performance
|sterling qualities
Synonyms
excellent (More general term for very good; 'sterling' can sound slightly more formal or refined.)
|
outstanding (Emphasizes exceptional quality, similar in tone to 'sterling'.)
Antonyms
poor (Indicates low quality, opposite of 'sterling' in this sense.)
|
inferior (Describes something of lower quality compared to 'sterling'.)
Themes
evaluation
|character
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very good or of the best quality.
Of the highest quality; excellent in character, work, or performance.
NOUN
B1
2
font
A2
The value of sterling fell against the dollar.
A font sterling árfolyama esett a dollárral szemben.
Sterling strengthened on the foreign exchange markets.
A font sterling erősödött a devizapiacokon.
He exchanged his euros for sterling before traveling to London.
Sterling is trading at its highest level this year.
Learner examples
Sterling is the money in the UK.
Az Egyesült Királyság pénzneme a font sterling.
I exchanged my dollars for sterling.
A dollárjaimat font sterlingre váltottam.
The value of sterling is high now.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'sterling' always means high quality; as a noun it can mean UK currency.
Meaning
British currency (pound)
Collocations
pound sterling
|sterling exchange rate
|sterling value
Synonyms
pound (Common informal name for the same currency; 'sterling' is more formal or used in financial contexts.)
Antonyms
dollar (Currency used in several countries, contrasting with the UK’s pound sterling.)
Themes
finance
|economy
|travel
Definition
The money used in the United Kingdom, called the pound.
The basic monetary unit of the United Kingdom, known as the pound sterling.
B2
3
925-ös ezüst
B2
Usage pattern:
sterling [silver/jewelry]
She wore a bracelet made of sterling silver.
Sterling ezüstből készült karkötőt viselt.
The cutlery is crafted from sterling silver.
Az evőeszközök sterling ezüstből készültek.
He bought a set of sterling teaspoons as a gift.
Sterling jewelry tends to be more durable than pure silver.
Learner examples
This ring is made of sterling silver.
Ez a gyűrű sterling ezüstből készült.
She bought a sterling necklace.
Sterling ezüst nyakláncot vett.
The spoon is sterling silver.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'sterling' here with meaning 'excellent'; in this sense it refers to silver purity.
Meaning
Made of pure standard silver
Collocations
sterling silver
|sterling necklace
|sterling spoon
Synonyms
pure silver (Indicates silver without significant impurities; 'sterling silver' has a specific legal standard.)
Antonyms
plated (Refers to objects coated with a thin layer of silver rather than made from solid silver.)
Themes
materials
|craft
|clothing
|arts_entertainment
Definition
Made from pure silver mixed with a small amount of another metal.
Made of silver with a standard fineness of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sterling
IPA
GB/stˈɚlɪŋ/
US/stˈɚlɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
ster - ling (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ster)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sterling
Noun
- Base: sterling
- Plural: sterling
Expressions
pound sterling
1/pˈaʊnd stˈɚlɪŋ/
fixed phrase
British pound currency unit
The main money unit in the UK, equal to 100 pence.
Examples
- The price is listed in pound sterling.
- One pound sterling is worth about 1.25 US dollars today.
sterling silver
1/stˈɚlɪŋ sˈɪlvɚ/
fixed phrase
High-purity silver alloy
Silver that is 92.5% pure, used for jewelry and cutlery.
Examples
- This necklace is made from sterling silver.
- Sterling silver requires regular polishing to keep its shine.