pound sterling
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The basic unit of money in Great Britain and Northern Ireland: "Pound sterling" is the official currency of the United Kingdom, subdivided into 100 pence.
- A monetary standard: It can refer to the British currency system itself.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The price is ten pounds sterling. (The cost is ten units of British money.)
- He exchanged his dollars for pounds sterling at the bank. (He converted his US currency into British currency at the financial institution.)
Advanced Usage
- "Pound sterling" as a formal term: Used in official, financial, or international contexts to distinguish the British currency from other currencies also called "pound" (e.g., the Egyptian pound).
- The contract must be settled in pounds sterling. (The agreement's payment must be made in British currency.)
Variants and Related Words
- Pound (n): The more common, abbreviated term for the pound sterling.
- It costs fifty pounds.
- Sterling (n/adj): Can refer to the currency itself or mean "of excellent quality," often used in financial contexts (e.g., sterling silver).
- Payments must be made in sterling. (Payments must be made in British money.)
Synonyms
- British pound: Another name for the same currency unit.
- GBP: The official ISO 4217 currency code (Great British Pounds).
- Quid (n, informal): A slang term for a pound sterling.
Related Phrases
- Pound sterling area: A historical term for a group of territories that pegged their currencies to the pound sterling.
- Sterling balance: A financial term for an account balance held in pounds sterling.
Related Idioms
- "To be worth a few pounds sterling": To have significant monetary value.
- That antique vase is worth a few pounds sterling. (That old vase has considerable financial value in British currency.)
Noun
- the basic unit of money in Great Britain and Northern Ireland; equal to 100 pence