Pronunciation

/ˈʃɪlɪŋ/

Definitions

• Noun: In British and historical American English, a former unit of currency, equal to 1/20 of a pound (or 12 old pence). Now largely replaced by the pound, but still used informally or in certain contexts. For example: “The antique shop had a collection of vintage shillings.”
• Adjective: Referring to something priced in shillings, especially in the past. For example: “The old shilling coin was intricately designed.”

Phrases

• “Costing a few shillings” indicates a relatively low price.
• “A shilling note” referred to a banknote worth a shilling.
• “Shilling change” meant small coins or currency.

Example Sentences

• Noun: “The collector had a rare shilling from the Victorian era.”
• Adjective: “The old book was still available for a shilling at the charity sale.”
• “I found some shilling coins in my grandmother’s attic.”

Synonyms

• Penny (informal, UK)
• Halfpenny (historical, UK)
• Farthing (historical, UK)
• Old penny (informal, US)

Note: The usage of “shilling” as a noun has largely become obsolete, and its adjectival use is now mostly historical or in specific contexts. In modern times, it would be more common to refer to these values in terms of pounds or pence.