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.
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.
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
not before the time or date mentioned
too soon to tell how things will turn out
before the expected or usual time
near the first part of a period or sequence
I was talking to him earlier
First recorded before 950; Middle English erlich (adjective), erliche (adverb), Old English ǣrlīc, ǣrlīce, variant of ārlīc, ārlīce, from ār “soon, early” ( see ere) + līc(e) -ly
Something that's early happens right at the beginning of some specific time period, or before you expect it to happen. An early party guest shows up before the party starts. An early riser gets up with the sun every morning, and you might eat an early dinner at five in the evening. If you're in your early twenties, you're closer to 20 than 30, while the early 20th century was the time period before 1950. If a baby comes early, she's born before her expected due date. The Old English source is ærlice, "early," which comes from ær, "soon" or "ere."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
CEO and co-founder Landon Mossburg said its first products, each about the size of a shipping container, will begin rolling out in early 2027.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
Orcel’s quest for Frankfurt-based Commerzbank started in early 2023.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
According to its developers, this real estate project of nearly 1.3 million square feet, scheduled for completion in early 2027, is expected to bring around 1,600 rental apartments onto the market.
From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026
Pezeshkian reportedly flew home to Tehran early on Wednesday, after the US and Iran exchanged strikes following attacks on several tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
“In any case, tomorrow will be a big day for both of us. Best to take an early bed.”
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
