Word
shilling
US/ˈʃɪɫɪŋ/
UK/ʃˈɪlɪŋ/
Countable noun History
Definition
n. a British coin used in the past. It was worth twelve pennies, and twenty of them made one pound.
n. a former British unit of currency and coin, equal to one-twentieth of a pound sterling or twelve pence. Withdrawn from circulation following decimalisation in 1971.
Examples
“The old man found a silver shilling in his garden.”
“Before the currency changed in 1971, you could buy quite a lot with a single shilling.”
“Historical ledgers from the Victorian era often record the weekly wages of domestic servants in shillings and pence, reflecting a rigid social and economic hierarchy.”
Examples
simple
“The old man found a silver shilling in his garden.”
contextual
“Before the currency changed in 1971, you could buy quite a lot with a single shilling.”
complex
“Historical ledgers from the Victorian era often record the weekly wages of domestic servants in shillings and pence, reflecting a rigid social and economic hierarchy.”
Usage
Commonly used in historical contexts or literature set before the 1970s.
Real-World Examples
“Cofek has expressed concern over the rationing as well as the increasing cost, saying fresh milk prices have risen from 70 to 80 Kenyan shillings ($0.54 to $0.62; £0.40 to £0.46) a litre.” “Individual discoveries reportedly range from amounts worth a few hundred Kenyan shillings to one find valued at approximately 78,000 shillings ($600).” Etymology
From Middle English schilling, shilling, from Old English sċilling, from Proto-Germanic *skillingaz, equivalent to skill + -ing. Doublet of scalding and schilling.
See shill.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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