early

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   before the usual time or the time expected

   They graduated early.

2. 2
   adv

   during an early stage

   It happened early on in my career.

3. 3
   adj

   at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

   early morning

4. 4
   adj

   being or occurring at an early stage of development

   in an early stage

5. 5
   adj

   very young

   at an early age

6. 6
   adj

   expected in the near future

   look for an early end to the negotiations

7. 7
   adj

   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

8. 8
   adj

   Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.

   You're early today! I don't usually see you before nine o'clock.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-eri Proto-Indo-European *h₂éyeri Proto-Germanic *airi Proto-Germanic *airiz Old English ǣr Proto-Indo-European *leyg- Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Old English -līċe Old English ǣrlīċe Middle English erly English early From Middle English erly, orely, arely, erliche, arliche, from Old English ǣrlīċe, ārlīċe (“early; early in the morning”, adverb), equivalent to ere + -ly. Cognate with Old Norse árliga, árla ( > Danish årle, Swedish arla, Norwegian årle, Faroese árla).