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Meaning of early in English
Pronunciation
/ˈərli/
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Classifying Adjective
early
Definitions
1.
very young
Examples
« at an early age »
Synonyms
young
immature
2.
expected in the near future
Examples
« look for an early end to the negotiations »
Synonyms
future
Adverb
early
Definitions
1.
during an early stage
Examples
« early on in her career »
2.
before the usual time or the time expected
Examples
« she graduated early »
« the house was completed ahead of time »
Antonyms
late
belatedly
tardily
3.
in good time
Examples
« he awoke betimes that morning »
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
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)
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