What is "easterling"

Easterling \East"er*ling\, n. [Cf. Sterling.]

1. A native of a country eastward of another; -- used, by the English, of traders or others from the coasts of the Baltic.

   Merchants of Norway, Denmark, . . . called . . . Easterlings because they lie east in respect of us.
   --Holinshed.

2. A piece of money coined in the east by Richard II. of England.
   --Crabb.

3. (Zo["o]l.) The smew.

Easterling \East"er*ling\, a. Relating to the money of the Easterlings, or Baltic traders. See Sterling.

"resident of an eastern land," in England, especially Hanse merchants and others from the North Sea Coast of Germany and the southern and eastern coast of the Baltic, early 15c., from easter, obsolete variant of eastern + -ling.

1. redirect Easterlings