early
1 Americanadverb
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in or during the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc..
early in the year.
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in the early part of the morning.
to get up early.
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before the usual or appointed time; ahead of time.
They came early and found their hosts still dressing.
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far back in time.
The Greeks early learned to sail and navigate.
adjective
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occurring in the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc..
an early hour of the day.
- Synonyms:
- initial
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occurring before the usual or appointed time.
an early dinner.
- Synonyms:
- premature, beforehand
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belonging to a period far back in time.
early French architecture.
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occurring in the near future.
I look forward to an early reply.
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(of a fruit or vegetable) appearing or maturing before most others of its type.
early apples.
noun
plural
earliesidioms
noun
adjective
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before the expected or usual time
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occurring in or characteristic of the first part of a period or sequence
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occurring in or characteristic of a period far back in time
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occurring in the near future
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not before the time or date mentioned
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too soon to tell how things will turn out
adverb
-
before the expected or usual time
-
near the first part of a period or sequence
I was talking to him earlier
Other Word Forms
- earliness noun
Etymology
Origin of early
First recorded before 950; Middle English erlich (adjective), erliche (adverb), Old English ǣrlīc, ǣrlīce, variant of ārlīc, ārlīce, from ār “soon, early” ( ere ) + līc(e) -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Because fewer people turn out for special elections, they’re considered an early predictor of partisan enthusiasm heading into regularly scheduled elections.
From Salon
We can cut this death rate with early and consistent prenatal care, research has shown.
From Salon
Templeton says this is partly due to the proposal being at an early stage.
From BBC
And, it was early March 2018 when the infamous 'Beast from the East' hit the UK.
From BBC
Upon releasing the files to the public earlier this year, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche reiterated the point.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
