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Meaning of early in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈərli/

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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

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