Meaning of early in English

1. Pronunciation

   /ˈərli/

   US accent

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   UK accent

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1. Classifying Adjective

   early

   Definitions

   1. very young

   Examples

   • « at an early age »

   Synonyms

   • young
   • immature
2. 2. expected in the near future

   Examples

   • « look for an early end to the negotiations »

   Synonyms

   • future

3. Adverb

   early

   Definitions

   1. during an early stage

   Examples

   • « early on in her career »
4. 2. before the usual time or the time expected

   Examples

   • « she graduated early »
   • « the house was completed ahead of time »

   Antonyms

   • late
   • belatedly
   • tardily
5. 3. in good time

   Examples

   • « he awoke betimes that morning »

6. Qualitative Adjective

   early

   Etymology

   Old English (as an adverb) ǣrlīce(see ere, -ly), influenced by Old Norse árliga. The adjective use dates from Middle English

   Definitions

   1. at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

   Examples

   • « early morning »
   • « an early warning »
   • « early diagnosis »
   • « an early death »
   • « took early retirement »
   • « an early spring »
   • « early varieties of peas and tomat »

   Synonyms

   • aboriginal
   • primal
   • primeval
   • primaeval
   • primordial
   • advance(a)
   • beforehand(p)
   • archean
   • archaean
   • archeozoic
   • archaeozoic
   • azoic
   • earlier
   • earliest
   • earlyish
   • matutinal
   • premature
   • untimely
   • previous(p)
   • premature
   • proterozoic
   • proto(a)
   • wee

   Antonyms

   • middle
   • late
7. 2. being or occurring at an early stage of development

   Examples

   • « in an early stage »
   • « early forms of life »
   • « early man »
   • « an early computer »

   Synonyms

   • archaic
   • primitive
   • new
   • young
   • crude
   • primitive
   • rude
   • embryonic
   • embryotic
   • incipient
   • inchoate
   • precocious

   Antonyms

   • late
   • later(a)
8. 3. of an early stage in the development of a language or literature

   Examples

   • « the Early Hebrew alphabetical script is that used mainly from the 11th to the 6th centuries B.C. »
   • « Early Modern English is represented in documents printed from 1476 to 1700 »

   Synonyms

   • Old

   Antonyms

   • middle
   • late