Word forms: comparative earlier, superlative earliest
1. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
Early means before the usual time that a particular event or activity happens.
I knew I had to get up early.
Why do we have to go to bed so early?
Early is also an adjective.
I decided that I was going to take early retirement.
I planned an early night.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early means near the beginning of a day, week, year, or other period of time.
...in the 1970s and the early 1980s.
...a few weeks in early summer.
She was in her early teens.
...the early hours of Saturday morning.
Early is also an adverb.
We'll hope to see you some time early next week.
...early in the season.
3. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
Early means before the time that was arranged or expected.
She arrived early to secure a place at the front.
The first snow came a month earlier than usual.
Synonyms: in good time, beforehand, ahead of schedule, in advance More Synonyms of early
Early is also an adjective.
I'm always early.
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early means near the beginning of a period in history, or in the history of something such as the world, a society, or an activity.
...the early stages of pregnancy.
...Fassbinder's early films.
...the early days of the occupation.
It's too early to declare his efforts a success.
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early means near the beginning of something such as a piece of work or a process.
...the book's early chapters.
Synonyms: first, opening, earliest, initial More Synonyms of early
Early is also an adverb.
...an incident which occurred much earlier in the game.
6. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early refers to plants which flower or crop before or at the beginning of the main season.
...these early cabbages and cauliflowers.
Early is also an adverb.
...early flowering shrubs.
7. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early reports or indications of something are the first reports or indications about it.
[formal]
The early indications look encouraging.
Earlier reports that troops opened fire are now being denied.
8.
See as early as
9.
See it's early days
More Synonyms of early
early in British English
(ˈɜːlɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: -lier or -liest
1.
before the expected or usual time
2.
occurring in or characteristic of the first part of a period or sequence
3.
occurring in or characteristic of a period far back in time
4.
occurring in the near future
5. at the earliest
6. early days
7. early doors
adverb-lier or -liest
8.
before the expected or usual time
9.
near the first part of a period or sequence
I was talking to him earlier
Derived forms
earliness (ˈearliness)
noun
Word origin
Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣrere + -līce-ly2; related to Old Norse arliga
Early in American English
(ˈɜrli)
Jubal Anderson1816-94; Confederate general in the Civil War
early in American English
(ˈɜrli)
adverb, adjectiveWord forms: ˈearlier or ˈearliest
1.
near the beginning of a given period of time or of a series, as of events; soon after the start
2.
before the expected or customary time
3.
in the far distant past; in ancient or remote times
4.
in the near future; before much time has passed
Idioms:
early on
Derived forms
earliness (ˈearliness)
noun
Word origin
ME erli < OE ærlic, adv. (> ærlic, adj.) < ær, before (see ere) + -lice, adv. suffix (see -ly2, like1)
More idioms containing
early
it's early days
the early bird catches the worm
an early bird
take an early bath
Examples of 'early' in a sentence
early
At least it is milder than earlier in the week.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The printing plants were raided in the early hours without explanation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The thing about getting up so early is that one is full of optimism.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That is something they themselves were not doing earlier this season but are now.
The Sun (2016)
You have to go back to early last year for anything better.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Early to bed and a cold shower first thing can help.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It is far too early for him to be thinking of England.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It has also emerged that a further 200 senior managers were let go earlier this month.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
European security has not looked as perilous since the early 1980s.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
What can you suggest for a week early in the school summer holidays?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They were less thrilled when the party was still going strong in the early hours.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We get them up early and work them hard doing household chores and work round the farm.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They then went to bed in the early hours.
The Sun (2010)
My desire to forgo parenthood goes back to early childhood.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It is important he has a couple of good early saves in front of the fans.
The Sun (2014)
These are illustrations of a difficulty all reformers faced in the early part of the nineteenth century.
Brian Thompson DEVASTATING EDEN: The Search for Utopia in America (2004)
In earlier times it had been a music hall.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We often had to leave class or go home early.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It took its place on the shelves earlier this month.
The Sun (2015)
We have also been catching male crabs a lot earlier than usual.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Owners of shops and restaurants could check on the businesses they closed weeks earlier.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The rest of the explanation seeps out gradually as midnight melts into the early hours.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Research shows that getting up early is linked to good health.
The Sun (2016)
It is far too early to name a decade when we are only one day into it.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The game hinged on a five-minute period early in the first half.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
She did it brilliantly, peaking perfectly and rendering judgments of her early season meaningless.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The financial argument for Scottish independence was constructed in an earlier period.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And yet, it is in its earliest beginnings that we still see it at its most beautiful.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Those of us who remember the 1970s and early 1980s know how damaging the oil shocks were.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She was most active in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In the early 1990s, they were the best team in the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Within four minutes he has worked out that he bought a painting from my father-in-law in the early 1970s.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Quotations
The early bird catches the worm
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise
In other languages
early
British English: early /ˈɜːlɪ/ ADJECTIVE
ahead of time If you are early, you arrive before the time that you were expected to come.
She was too early for the party.
American English: early
Arabic: مُبَكِّر
Brazilian Portuguese: cedo
Chinese: 早的
Croatian: prijevremen
Czech: časný
Danish: tidlig
Dutch: vroeg
European Spanish: temprano
Finnish: aikainen
French: précoce
German: früh
Greek: πρόωρος
Italian: in anticipo
Japanese: 早い
Korean: 빨리
Norwegian: tidlig
Polish: wcześniejszy
European Portuguese: cedo
Romanian: devreme
Russian: ранний
Latin American Spanish: temprano
Swedish: tidig
Thai: ก่อนเวลาที่กำหนดไว้
Turkish: erken
Ukrainian: рано
Vietnamese: sớm
British English: early /ˈɜːlɪ/ ADVERB
Early means before the usual time that a particular event or activity happens.
I knew I had to get up early.
American English: early
Arabic: بَاكِراً
Brazilian Portuguese: cedo
Chinese: 在早期
Croatian: rano
Czech: brzy časně
Danish: tidlig
Dutch: vroeg
European Spanish: temprano temprano
Finnish: aikaisin
French: tôt
German: früh
Greek: νωρίς
Italian: presto
Japanese: 早く
Korean: 일찍
Norwegian: tidlig
Polish: wcześnie
European Portuguese: cedo
Romanian: devreme
Russian: рано
Latin American Spanish: pronto anticipado
Swedish: tidigt
Thai: เช้า
Turkish: erken
Ukrainian: рано
Vietnamese: sớm
British English: early /ˈɜːlɪ/ ADJECTIVE
near the beginningEarly means near the first part of something.
She was in her early teens.
American English: early
Arabic: مُبَكِّر
Brazilian Portuguese: início
Chinese: 早的
Croatian: rani
Czech: raný
Danish: tidlig
Dutch: vroeg
European Spanish: primero
Finnish: alussa
French: au début de
German: anfang
Greek: πρώτος
Italian: primi
Japanese: 初期の
Korean: 초기의
Norwegian: tidlig
Polish: wczesny
European Portuguese: princípios
Romanian: timpuriu
Russian: начальный
Latin American Spanish: etapa temprana
Swedish: tidig
Thai: ช่วงต้น แต่แรก
Turkish: başında
Ukrainian: ранній
Vietnamese: sớm
All related terms of 'early'
early man
early hominids , precursors of the human race in its present form
early on
at an early stage; near the beginning
early bird
An early bird is someone who does something or goes somewhere very early, especially very early in the morning .
early days
too soon to tell how things will turn out
early death
Death is the permanent end of the life of a person or animal.
early doors
at an early stage
early goal
In games such as football or hockey , a goal is when a player gets the ball into the goal, or the point that is scored by doing this.
early life
Someone's life is the period of time during which they are alive .
early music
music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance , sometimes also including music of the baroque and early classical periods
early-onset
(of a medical condition) occurring early in a person's life, esp in relation to other people with the condition
early riser
a person who gets up early in the morning
early adopter
one of the first people or organizations to make use of a new technology
early career
A career is the job or profession that someone does for a long period of their life.
Early Church
→ the Early Church
early closing
the shutting of most of the shops in a town one afternoon each week
Early English
a style of architecture used in England in the 12th and 13th centuries, characterized by lancet arches , narrow openings , and plate tracery
early-evening
taking place or being presented in the early part of the evening
early leaver
a person who leaves something early, esp someone who opts out of a pension scheme before completing all his or her contributions
early modern
designating or of the period of European history from the end of the Middle Ages ( c. 1450) to c. 1750
early-morning
taking place or being presented in the early part of the morning
early spring
Spring is the season between winter and summer when the weather becomes warmer and plants start to grow again.
early warning
advance notice of some impending event or development
as early as
You can use as early as to emphasize that a particular time or period is surprisingly early.
early admission
a plan for admission to colleges in the US, in which students apply to colleges earlier in the year than is customary and receive their results earlier too
Early American
a style in architecture and design typical of colonial America
Early Christian
denoting or relating to the style of architecture that started in Italy in the 3rd century ad and spread through the Roman empire until the 5th century
early election
An election is a process in which people vote to choose a person or group of people to hold an official position.
an early bird
someone who gets up early in the morning or who does something before other people
early check-in
An early check-in at a hotel is an arrangement which allows a guest to check in earlier than the normal time.
early indication
An indication is a sign which suggests, for example, what people are thinking or feeling.
Early Renaissance
→ the Early Renaissance
early retirement
retirement before the usual or expected age or date
bright and early
very early in the morning
early closing day
a day on which most shops in a town or area close after lunch
early-type star
any massive hot star of spectral type O, B , or A
it is early days
Early means near the beginning of something such as a piece of work or a process.
it's early days
If you say about something that might be true that it is early days , you mean that it is too soon for you to be completely sure about it.
the Early Church
the Christian church in the centuries immediately following Christ's death
distant early warning
a US radar detection system to warn of missile attack
Early Modern English
the English language as spoken and written from about 1500 to about 1700
early purple orchid
a Eurasian orchid , Orchis mascula, with purplish-crimson flowers and stems marked with blackish-purple spots
early warning system
a network of radar and communications units intended to detect at the earliest possible moment an attack by enemy aircraft or missiles
take an early bath
to stop doing something that you are involved in and leave before you have finished
the Early Renaissance
the period from about 1400 to 1500 in European, esp Italian, painting, sculpture , and architecture , when naturalistic styles and humanist theories were evolved from the study of classical sources, notably by Donatello , Masaccio , and Alberti
distant early warning line
distant early warning line, a network of radar stations situated mainly in Arctic regions to give early warning of aircraft or missile attack on North America
early night a late night
If you have an early night , you go to bed early. If you have a late night , you go to bed late.
an early night a late night
If you have an early night , you go to bed early. If you have a late night , you go to bed late.
the early bird catches the worm
If you say that the early bird catches the worm , you mean that the person who arrives first in a place is most likely to get what they want .
the early hours the small hours the wee hours
If something happens in the early hours , in the small hours , or in the wee hours , it happens in the early morning after midnight .
late-type star
any star with a surface temperature below that of the sun , of spectral type K , M, C, or S
Chinese translation of 'early'
early
(ˈəːlɪ)
adv
(in day, month) 在初期 (zài chūqī)
(= before usual time)[get up, go to bed, arrive, leave]早 (zǎo)
adj
(= near the beginning)[stage, career]早期的 (zǎoqī de)
⇒ the early stages of pregnancy怀孕早期 (huáiyùn zǎoqī)
⇒ Shakespeare's early works莎士比亚的早期著作 (Shāshìbǐyà de zǎoqī zhùzuò)
(in history)[Christians, settlers]早期的 (zǎoqī de)
(= premature)[death, departure]提早的 (tízǎo de)
(= quick)[reply]很快的 (hěnkuài de)
⇒ We look forward to your early reply.我们期待您及早的答复。 (Wǒmen qīdài nín jízǎo de dáfù.)
I usually get up early我通常早起床 (wǒ tōngcháng zǎo qǐchuáng)
early on在初期 (zài chūqī)
early this morning今天一大早 (jīntiān yīdàzǎo)
early last week上星期初 (shàng xīngqī chū)
early in the morning清早 (qīngzǎo)
in the early or early in the spring/19th century早春/19世纪(紀)初期 (zǎochūn/shíjiǔ shìjì chūqī)
she's in her early forties她40出头(頭) (tā sìshí chūtóu)