An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schilling

by Friedrich Kluge

Schilling, m. ‘shilling, money,’ from the equiv. MidHG. schilling, OHG. scilling, m., a common Teut. term for a coin; comp. Goth. skilliggs, OIc. skillingr, AS. sčilling, E. shilling, Du. schelling, OSax. scilling. Formed from OTeut. skellan, ‘to sound,’ with the suffix -inga-, a favourite termination in OG. names of coins (see Pfenning, OHG. cheisuring, E. farthing); hence Schilling is lit. ‘ringing coin.’ From Teut. are derived Ital. scellino and Fr. escalin, a coin worth about sixpence, as well as the equiv. OSlov. sklęzǐ.