early

Adjective

• expected in the near future
  • look for an early end to the negotiations
    

• of an early stage in the development of a language or literature
  • the Early Hebrew alphabetical script is that used mainly from the 11th to the 6th centuries B.C.
    
  • Early Modern English is represented in documents printed from 1476 to 1700
    

• very young
  • at an early age
    

• belonging to the distant past
  • the early inhabitants of Europe
    
  • former generations
    
  • in other times
    

• being or occurring at an early stage of development
  • in an early stage
    
  • early forms of life
    
  • early man
    
  • an early computer
    

• at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
  • early morning
    
  • an early warning
    
  • early diagnosis
    
  • an early death
    
  • took early retirement
    
  • an early spring
    
  • early varieties of peas and tomatoes mature before most standard varieties
    

Adverb

• in good time
  • he awoke betimes that morning
    

• before the usual time or the time expected
  • she graduated early
    
  • the house was completed ahead of time
    

• during an early stage
  • early on in her career
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  early(a) , former(a) , other(a) , betimes , ahead of time , too soon , early on
• Antonyms: 
  middle , late , later(a) , belatedly , tardily