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

Famous quotes

• « In early high school years, I was pretty chubby, and I spent a lot of time on my computer, before it was cool to have a computer - because there was a time that was true. So that's where I developed my personality. »
  Rashida Jones
• « Progress would not have been the rarity it is if the early food had not been the late poison. »
  Walter Bagehot
• « I've always loved 3D. In fact, as a kid, I was exposed to 3D at an early age because my grandfather was a specialist of 3D in cinematheques. And then my cousin put it in 'Science of Sleep' with toilet paper tube cities. But he was a specialist and I always wanted to do something in 3D. »
  Michel Gondry
• « A treatment method or an educational method that will work for one child may not work for another child. The one common denominator for all of the young children is that early intervention does work, and it seems to improve the prognosis. »
  Temple Grandin
• « We also own a little boat and I'm like a kid with it. I take off early in the morning, fishing rod in tow, and just drift about the ocean all day. »
  Perry Como

Browse dictionary

• earlobe
• earliness
• earliest
• earlier
• early
• early(a)
• early-morning hour
• earlyish
• early bird