Showing results for early adopter. Search instead for ornately adorned.

early adopter

American

[ur-lee uh-dop-ter] / ˈɜr li əˈdɒp tər /

noun

a person who uses a new product or technology before it becomes widely known or used.

early adopter British

noun

one of the first people or organizations to make use of a new technology

"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

Etymology

Origin of early adopter

First recorded in 1845–50

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.

Gil had been an early adopter of e-commerce after his old store folded, and he made a nice living selling books on eBay and Amazon.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

As an “SCTV” early adopter, O’Hara was first attractive to me because she was funny, but she was also beautiful — a beauty she could subvert by a subtle or broad rearrangement of her features.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

The area of Jibia was an early adopter of the peace negotiation process, reaching a deal in March this year.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2025

Adobe became an early adopter in 2012, when the company swapped annual reviews in favor of regular “check-ins” that focused on goals, feedback and development.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

By becoming not just an early adopter, but an outspoken supporter of quantum, the Nvidia boss is also positioning the world’s largest company for continued success.

From Barron's • Oct. 30, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023