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Definition of 'early'

Word Frequency

early

(ɜːʳli )
Word forms: comparative earlier , superlative earliest
1. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
Early means before the usual time that a particular event or activity happens.
I knew I had to get up early.
Why do we have to go to bed so early?
Early is also an adjective.
I decided that I was going to take early retirement.
I planned an early night.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early means near the beginning of a day, week, year, or other period of time.
...in the 1970s and the early 1980s.
...a few weeks in early summer.
She was in her early teens.
...the early hours of Saturday morning.
Early is also an adverb.
We'll hope to see you some time early next week.
...early in the season.
3. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
Early means before the time that was arranged or expected.
She arrived early to secure a place at the front.
The first snow came a month earlier than usual.
Synonyms: in good time, beforehand, ahead of schedule, in advance   More Synonyms of early
Early is also an adjective.
I'm always early.
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early means near the beginning of a period in history, or in the history of something such as the world, a society, or an activity.
...the early stages of pregnancy.
...Fassbinder's early films.
...the early days of the occupation.
It's too early to declare his efforts a success.
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early means near the beginning of something such as a piece of work or a process.
...the book's early chapters.
Synonyms: first, opening, earliest, initial   More Synonyms of early
Early is also an adverb.
...an incident which occurred much earlier in the game.
6. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early refers to plants which flower or crop before or at the beginning of the main season.
...these early cabbages and cauliflowers.
Early is also an adverb.
...early flowering shrubs.
7. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Early reports or indications of something are the first reports or indications about it.
[formal]
The early indications look encouraging.
Earlier reports that troops opened fire are now being denied.
8. 
as early as
9. 
it's early days
More Synonyms of early
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Video: pronunciation of 'early'

Word Frequency

early in British

(ˈɜːlɪ )
adjective -lier or -liest
1. 
before the expected or usual time
2. 
occurring in or characteristic of the first part of a period or sequence
3. 
occurring in or characteristic of a period far back in time
4. 
occurring in the near future
5.  at the earliest
6.  early days
7.  early doors
adverb -lier or -liest
8. 
before the expected or usual time
9. 
near the first part of a period or sequence
I was talking to him earlier
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
earliness (ˈearliness)
  noun
Word origin of 'early'
Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣr ere + -līce -ly2; related to Old Norse arliga
Word Frequency

Early in American

(ˈɜrli ; ʉrˈlē)
Jubal Anderson1816-94; Confederate general in the Civil War
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency

early in American

(ˈɜrli ; ʉrˈlē)
adverb, adjectiveWord forms: ˈearlier or ˈearliest
1. 
near the beginning of a given period of time or of a series, as of events; soon after the start
2. 
before the expected or customary time
3. 
in the far distant past; in ancient or remote times
4. 
in the near future; before much time has passed
Idioms:
early on
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
earliness (ˈearliness)
  noun
Word origin of 'early'
ME erli < OE ærlic, adv. (> ærlic, adj.) < ær, before (see ere) + -lice, adv. suffix (see -ly2, like1)

Example sentences containing 'early'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
At least it is milder than earlier in the week. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The printing plants were raided in the early hours without explanation. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The thing about getting up so early is that one is full of optimism. Times, Sunday Times (2016)That is something they themselves were not doing earlier this season but are now. The Sun (2016)You have to go back to early last year for anything better. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Early to bed and a cold shower first thing can help. Times, Sunday Times (2017)It is far too early for him to be thinking of England. Times, Sunday Times (2016)It has also emerged that a further 200 senior managers were let go earlier this month. Times, Sunday Times (2016)European security has not looked as perilous since the early 1980s. Times, Sunday Times (2016)What can you suggest for a week early in the school summer holidays? Times, Sunday Times (2012)They were less thrilled when the party was still going strong in the early hours. Times, Sunday Times (2006)We get them up early and work them hard doing household chores and work round the farm. Times, Sunday Times (2009)They then went to bed in the early hours. The Sun (2010)My desire to forgo parenthood goes back to early childhood. Times, Sunday Times (2013)It is important he has a couple of good early saves in front of the fans. The Sun (2014)These are illustrations of a difficulty all reformers faced in the early part of the nineteenth century. Brian Thompson DEVASTATING EDEN: The Search for Utopia in America (2004)In earlier times it had been a music hall. Times, Sunday Times (2012)We often had to leave class or go home early. Times, Sunday Times (2008)It took its place on the shelves earlier this month. The Sun (2015)We have also been catching male crabs a lot earlier than usual. Times, Sunday Times (2006)Owners of shops and restaurants could check on the businesses they closed weeks earlier. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The rest of the explanation seeps out gradually as midnight melts into the early hours. Times, Sunday Times (2009)Research shows that getting up early is linked to good health. The Sun (2016)It is far too early to name a decade when we are only one day into it. Times, Sunday Times (2010)The game hinged on a five-minute period early in the first half. Times, Sunday Times (2013)She did it brilliantly, peaking perfectly and rendering judgments of her early season meaningless. Times, Sunday Times (2008)The financial argument for Scottish independence was constructed in an earlier period. Times, Sunday Times (2012)And yet, it is in its earliest beginnings that we still see it at its most beautiful. Times, Sunday Times (2007)Those of us who remember the 1970s and early 1980s know how damaging the oil shocks were. Times, Sunday Times (2007)She was most active in the 1970s and early 1980s. Times, Sunday Times (2013)In the early 1990s, they were the best team in the world. Times, Sunday Times (2014)Within four minutes he has worked out that he bought a painting from my father-in-law in the early 1970s. Times, Sunday Times (2012)

Quotations

The early bird catches the worm
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise

Trends of 'early'

Extremely Common. early is one of the 1000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

View usage for:

Translations for 'early'

British English: early /ˈɜːlɪ/ ADJECTIVE
ahead of time If you are early, you arrive before the time that you were expected to come.
She was too early for the party.
  • American English: early
  • Arabic: مُبَكِّر
  • Brazilian Portuguese: cedo
  • Chinese: 早的
  • Croatian: prijevremen
  • Czech: časný
  • Danish: tidlig
  • Dutch: vroeg
  • European Spanish: temprano
  • Finnish: aikainen
  • French: précoce
  • German: früh
  • Greek: πρόωρος
  • Italian: in anticipo
  • Japanese: 早い
  • Korean: 빨리
  • Norwegian: tidlig
  • Polish: wcześniejszy
  • European Portuguese: cedo
  • Romanian: devreme
  • Russian: ранний
  • Spanish: temprano
  • Swedish: tidig
  • Thai: ก่อนเวลาที่กำหนดไว้
  • Turkish: erken
  • Ukrainian: рано
  • Vietnamese: sớm
British English: early /ˈɜːlɪ/ ADVERB
Early means before the usual time that a particular event or activity happens.
I knew I had to get up early.
  • American English: early
  • Arabic: بَاكِراً
  • Brazilian Portuguese: cedo
  • Chinese: 在早期
  • Croatian: rano
  • Czech: brzy časně
  • Danish: tidlig
  • Dutch: vroeg
  • European Spanish: temprano temprano
  • Finnish: aikaisin
  • French: tôt
  • German: früh
  • Greek: νωρίς
  • Italian: presto
  • Japanese: 早く
  • Korean: 일찍
  • Norwegian: tidlig
  • Polish: wcześnie
  • European Portuguese: cedo
  • Romanian: devreme
  • Russian: рано
  • Spanish: pronto anticipado
  • Swedish: tidigt
  • Thai: เช้า
  • Turkish: erken
  • Ukrainian: рано
  • Vietnamese: sớm
British English: early /ˈɜːlɪ/ ADJECTIVE
near the beginning Early means near the first part of something.
She was in her early teens.
  • American English: early
  • Arabic: مُبَكِّر
  • Brazilian Portuguese: início
  • Chinese: 早的
  • Croatian: rani
  • Czech: raný
  • Danish: tidlig
  • Dutch: vroeg
  • European Spanish: primero
  • Finnish: alussa
  • French: au début de
  • German: anfang
  • Greek: πρώτος
  • Italian: primi
  • Japanese: 初期の
  • Korean: 초기의
  • Norwegian: tidlig
  • Polish: wczesny
  • European Portuguese: princípios
  • Romanian: timpuriu
  • Russian: начальный
  • Spanish: etapa temprana
  • Swedish: tidig
  • Thai: ช่วงต้น แต่แรก
  • Turkish: başında
  • Ukrainian: ранній
  • Vietnamese: sớm

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Nearby words of 'early'

  • earlobe
  • earlock
  • earlship
  • early
  • early admission
  • early adopter
  • Early American

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'E'

Related Terms of 'early'

  • early man
  • early on
  • early bird
  • Early Bird
  • early-bird

  • View more related words

Source

Definition of early from the Collins English Dictionary

The past perfect tense

Typical forms of this tense are as shown in: I had misheard. She had misheard. I had finished . She had found them. She ’d gone. They ’d found her. Had I misheard ? Had it gone ?...
Read more about 'The past perfect tense'
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Scrabble score for 'early': 8
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