English Explanatory Dictionary

early

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.
  2. Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.
  3. After but close to the start of a period of time.
  4. In the starting hours of the day.
  5. Having begun to occur; in its early stages.
  6. Of a star or class of stars, hotter than the sun.
noun
  1. A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day.
adv
  1. At a time before expected; sooner than usual.
  2. Soon; in good time; seasonably.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/ˈɜːli/ En-uk-early.ogg /ˈɝli/ /ɚ̞li/ En-us-early.ogg

Word forms

early earlier earliest earlies Earlys

Etymology

From Middle English erly, erlich, earlich, from Old English ǣrlīċ (“early”, adjective), equivalent to ere + -ly.

Synonyms

early early doors premature new first prematurely

Antonyms

late terminal mid middle tardily

Related words

premature

Derived words

be a hundred years too early call it an early night earliness early adopter early and late Early Assamese early bath early bells early binding early bird early bird special early blight early bloomer early-bound early bright early childhood early childhood education early closing earlycomer early crow early day motion early-day motion early days early door early doors early fetal demise early grave early Helladic early infantile autism early innings earlyish Early Latin early life check early lifer early mark early modern Early Modern Czech early music early night early on early position Early Proto-Indo-European early-purple orchid early purple orchid early queening early reader early retiree early retirement early retirement pensioner early return early riser early saxifrage early Shōwa early Showa early shower early spider orchid early spring orchis early syphilis early time early-to-bedder

Translations

Spanish: cortos (e.g., tiene veinte cortos) Spanish: corto (e.g., es veinteañero corto)
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