early

[ur-lee]

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR early ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb, ear·li·er, ear·li·est.

in or during the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc.: early in the year.

in the early part of the morning: to get up early.

before the usual or appointed time; ahead of time: They came early and found their hosts still dressing.

far back in time: The Greeks early learned to sail and navigate.

adjective, ear·li·er, ear·li·est.

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.

occurring before the usual or appointed time: an early dinner.

belonging to a period far back in time: early French architecture.

occurring in the near future: I look forward to an early reply.

(of a fruit or vegetable) appearing or maturing before most others of its type: early apples.

noun, plural ear·lies.

a fruit or vegetable that appears before most others of its type.

Idioms

early on, with but little time elapsed; early in the course of a process, project, etc.; early in the game.

Origin of early

before 950; Middle English erlich (adj.), erliche (adv.), Old English ǣrlīc, ǣrlīce, mutated variant of ārlīc, ārlīce, equivalent to ār- early (positive of ǣr ere) + līc(e) -ly

Related formsear·li·ness, noun

Synonyms for early

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR early ON THESAURUS.COM

5. initial. 6. beforehand, premature.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for earlier

prior, previous, preceding

Examples from the Web for earlier

Contemporary Examples of earlier

Earlier this week, Huckabee ended his Fox News talk show so he could spend time mulling another bid for the Republican nomination.
Huckabee 2016: Bend Over and Take It Like a Prisoner!
Olivia Nuzzi
January 8, 2015
In 2007, Huckabee said he stood by these earlier remarks, but would phrase them differently.
The Devil in Mike Huckabee
Dean Obeidallah
January 6, 2015
The pilot had earlier called air-traffic control reporting heavy clouds and asked to move up to 38,000 feet from 32,000 feet.
The Presumed Crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 Is Nothing Like MH370
Lennox Samuels
December 29, 2014
Correction: Officer Jose Rodriguez was misidentified in several places in an earlier version of this story.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos
Michael Daly
December 28, 2014
Earlier, when the mayor spoke, some of the cops had turned their back on the Jumbotron that carried the service to the street.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos
Michael Daly
December 28, 2014

Historical Examples of earlier

"Paracelsus," so denominated, was one of Robert Browning's earlier poems.
'Tis Sixty Years Since
Charles Francis Adams
Earlier in the evening there had been a Big Eating at Opata's, and now the men were dancing.
The Trail Book
Mary Austin
"You ought to have spoken of it earlier in the day," he went on slowly.
Rico and Wiseli
Johanna Spyri
He thought of what Mrs. Bothwell had said earlier in the day.
The Foolish Lovers
St. John G. Ervine
Hinde had parted from them earlier that evening than he had intended or they had expected.
The Foolish Lovers
St. John G. Ervine

British Dictionary definitions for earlier

early

adjective -lier or -liest

before the expected or usual time

occurring in or characteristic of the first part of a period or sequence

occurring in or characteristic of a period far back in time

occurring in the near future

at the earliest not before the time or date mentioned

early days too soon to tell how things will turn out

adverb -lier

before the expected or usual time

near the first part of a period or sequenceI was talking to him earlier

Derived Formsearliness, noun

Word Origin for early

Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣr ere + -līce -ly ²; related to Old Norse arliga

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for earlier

early

adv.

Old English ærlic "early," from ær "soon, ere" (see ere) + -lice, adverbial suffix (see -ly (2)). Cf. Old Norse arliga "early." The early bird of the proverb is from 1670s. Related: Earlier; earliest.

Idioms and Phrases with earlier

early

In addition to the idioms beginning with early

early bird catches the worm
early on
early to bed, early to rise (makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise)

also see:

bright and early