early

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[edit] English

Most common English words: arms « across « answer « #447: early » saying » talk » spirit

[edit] Etymology

From Middle English erli, Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣr (“‘before’”) + adverbial suffix -līce. Cognate with Old Norse árla ( > Danish and Norwegian årle)

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Adjective

early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)

Positive
early

Comparative
earlier

Superlative
earliest
  1. At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.
    At eleven, we went for an early lunch.
    She began reading at an early age.
    His mother suffered an early death.
  2. Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on-time.
    You're early today! I don't usually see you before nine o'clock.
    The early guests sipped their punch and avoided each other's eyes.
  3. Near the start or beginning.
    The play "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is one of Shakespeare's early works.
    Early results showed their winning 245 out of 300 seats in parliament. The main opponent locked up only 31 seats.

[edit] Synonyms

  • (at a time in advance of the usual): premature
  • (near the start): first

[edit] Antonyms

[edit] Derived terms

Related terms

[edit] Translations

at a time in advance of the usual
arriving at a time before expected
near the start or beginning

[edit] Adverb

early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)

Positive
early

Comparative
earlier

Superlative
earliest
  1. At a time before expected; sooner than usual.
    We finished the project an hour sooner than scheduled, so we left early.

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Antonyms

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

at a time before expected

[edit] Anagrams

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