Where does “sterling” come from?

Sterling derives from Middle English sterlyng, from Old English stierling, combining Old English star- (from Proto-Germanic star-) with the diminutive suffix -ling (from Proto-Indo-European -lós), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sterh₁-.

sterling (English): The currency of the United Kingdom; especially...

Definitions

  1. The currency of the United Kingdom; especially...

Ancestry of “sterling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsterlingstarling
2Old Englishstarlinc—
3Old English-lingadverbial suffix denoting direction, state or...
4Old Englishlanglong; lasting; old, ancient; advanced
5Proto-West Germaniclanglong
6Proto-Germaniclangazlong
7Proto-Indo-Europeandlongʰoslong

Words derived from “sterling”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dlongʰos →Every word from Proto-Germanic langaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic lang →