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shilling

shilling definition

shil·ling (s̸hil′iŋ)

noun

1. a former monetary unit of the United Kingdom, equal to of a pound or 12 pence
2. a cupronickel coin worth one shilling: coinage discontinued in 1971
3. a former monetary unit of various other countries in or formerly in the Commonwealth, equal to of a pound or 12 pence
the basic monetary unit of:
1. Kenya
2. Somalia
3. Tanzania
4. Uganda
any of several coins of colonial America

Etymology: ME schilling < OE scylling, akin to Ger schilling < Gmc *skildling, prob. < *skild- (see shield) + *-ling, -ling

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.