adj satadj.all(comparative and superlative of 'early') more early than; most earlyDomain Usage:comparativecomparative degree
Synset:earliest
Examples:- a fashion popular in earlier times
- his earlier work reflects the influence of his teacher
- Verdi's earliest and most raucous opera
Antonyms:latemiddle
Inherited Hypernyms:earlier
Similar to:early
adjadj.allat or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected timeAttributes:timing
Examples:- early morning
- an early warning
- early diagnosis
- an early death
- took early retirement
- an early spring
- early varieties of peas and tomatoes mature before most standard varieties
Antonyms:latemiddle
Derivationally Related Form:earliness
Inherited Hypernyms:early
Similar to:aboriginal primaeval primal primeval primordial advance beforehand archaean archean archaeozoic archeozoic azoic earlier earliest earlyish premature untimely premature previous proterozoic proto wee
See also:first
adjadj.allbeing or occurring at an early stage of developmentExamples:- in an early stage
- early forms of life
- early man
- an early computer
Antonyms:late
Derivationally Related Form:earliness
Inherited Hypernyms:early
Similar to:archaic primitive crude primitive rude embryonic embryotic inchoate incipient new young precocious
adj satadj.allbelonging to the distant pastSynset:early former other
Examples:- the early inhabitants of Europe
- former generations
- in other times
Antonyms:futurepresent
Inherited Hypernyms:early
Similar to:past
adj satadj.allvery youngAntonyms:old
Inherited Hypernyms:early
Similar to:immature young
adjadj.allof an early stage in the development of a language or literatureTopic:linguistics
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
Antonyms:latemiddle
Derivationally Related Form:earliness
Inherited Hypernyms:early
Similar to:Old
adj satadj.allexpected in the near futureExamples:- look for an early end to the negotiations
Antonyms:pastpresent
Inherited Hypernyms:early
Similar to:future
advadv.allearlier in time; previouslySynset:before
Examples:- I had known her before
- as I said before
- he called me the day before but your call had come even earlier
- her parents had died four years earlier
- I mentioned that problem earlier
Inherited Hypernyms:earlier
advadv.allcomparatives of 'soon' or 'early'Synset:sooner
Examples:- Come a little sooner, if you can
- came earlier than I expected
Inherited Hypernyms:sooner
advadv.allbefore nowSynset:in the beginning in the first place originally to begin with
Examples:- why didn't you tell me in the first place?
Inherited Hypernyms:in the first place