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How to spell early


Early Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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[ ur-lee ]

/ ˈɜr li /

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See synonyms for early on Thesaurus.com

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adverb, ear·li·er, ear·li·est.

in or during the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc.: early in the year.

in the early part of the morning: to get up early.

before the usual or appointed time; ahead of time: They came early and found their hosts still dressing.

far back in time: The Greeks early learned to sail and navigate.

adjective, ear·li·er, ear·li·est.

occurring in the first part of a period of time, a course of action, a series of events, etc.: an early hour of the day.

occurring before the usual or appointed time: an early dinner.

belonging to a period far back in time: early French architecture.

occurring in the near future: I look forward to an early reply.

(of a fruit or vegetable) appearing or maturing before most others of its type: early apples.

noun, plural ear·lies.

a fruit or vegetable that appears before most others of its type.

OTHER WORDS FOR early

5 initial.

6 beforehand, premature.

See synonyms for early on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

Idioms about early

    early on, with but little time elapsed; early in the course of a process, project, etc. ; early in the game.

Origin of early

before 950; Middle English erlich (adj.), erliche (adv.), Old English ǣrlīc, ǣrlīce, mutated variant of ārlīc, ārlīce, equivalent to ār- early (positive of ǣrere) + līc(e) -ly

OTHER WORDS FROM early

ear·li·ness, noun

Words nearby early

Earl Marshal, earlobe, earlock, earl palatine, earlship, early, early adopter, Early American, early bird, early bird catches the worm, early blight

Other definitions for early (2 of 2)

Early

[ ur-lee ]

/ ˈɜr li /

noun

Ju·bal Anderson [joo-buhl], /ˈdʒu bəl/, 1816–94, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to early

fresh, initial, new, previous, recent, daybreak, first blush, first light, beforehand, briefly, directly, immediately, prematurely, promptly, quick, shortly, soon, unexpectedly, immediate, first

How to use early in a sentence

  • Working two guided trips a summer could earn early guides enough to buy a few more cows and raise the quality of life of an entire extended family.

    It’s Time to Embrace Ski Guiding|Marc Peruzzi|February 26, 2021|Outside Online

  • They pointed to an earlier message McCoy posted prior to his apology giving a different reason for deleting his post about obese people.

    FOX 5’s McCoy suspended over offensive Tweet|Lou Chibbaro Jr.|February 24, 2021|Washington Blade

  • The earlier proposal called for a 25,599-square-foot building.

    Rehoboth theater supporters hopeful for approval of new buildings|Lou Chibbaro Jr.|February 23, 2021|Washington Blade

  • To find the case assignments that went to ineligible attorneys, we compared the assignment date to the earliest date that an attorney appeared on a list in any court in the state.

    Lawyers Who Were Ineligible to Handle Serious Criminal Charges Were Given Thousands of These Cases Anyway|by Samantha Hogan, The Maine Monitor, and Agnel Philip, ProPublica|February 23, 2021|ProPublica

  • In the earlier cold snap, the grid was pushed to the limit and rolling blackouts swept the state, spurring an angry Legislature to order a study of what went wrong.

    “Power Companies Get Exactly What They Want”: How Texas Repeatedly Failed to Protect Its Power Grid Against Extreme Weather|by Jeremy Schwartz, Kiah Collier and Vianna Davila|February 22, 2021|ProPublica

  • When cities started adding chlorine to their water supplies, in the early 1900s, it set off public outcry.

    Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST

  • It’s cool because Trenchmouth opened for Green Day in the early ‘90s in Wisconsin.

    Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

  • At first—it was the early stages of reporting—I was amused at having been so crassly underestimated.

    I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

  • Early on, the sexual protagonist complains that her Molson-drinking husband is pretty much an incompetent Neanderthal.

    ‘A Gronking to Remember’ Speed Read: 8 Naughtiest Bits|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

  • Detectives with a fugitive task force caught up with Polanco and a friend on a Bronx street in the early afternoon.

    Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

  • The "new world" was really found in the wonder-years of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

    The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock

  • When his lordship retired early, as was his custom, the other men adjourned once more to the billiard-room.

    The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills

  • In the early stages of chronic nephritis, when diagnosis is difficult, it is usually normal.

    A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

  • He was in early life a shipcarpenter, and subsequently American consul at Antwerp.

    The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell

  • Hamo in alluding to the early cultivation of tobacco by the colony, says, that John Rolfe was the pioneer tobacco planter.

    Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.

British Dictionary definitions for early

early

/ (ˈɜːlɪ) /

adjective -lier or -liest

before the expected or usual time

occurring in or characteristic of the first part of a period or sequence

occurring in or characteristic of a period far back in time

occurring in the near future

at the earliest not before the time or date mentioned

early days too soon to tell how things will turn out

adverb -lier

before the expected or usual time

near the first part of a period or sequenceI was talking to him earlier

Derived forms of early

earliness, noun

Word Origin for early

Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣr ere + -līce -ly ²; related to Old Norse arliga

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with early

In addition to the idioms beginning with early

  • early bird catches the worm
  • early on
  • early to bed, early to rise (makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise)

also see:

  • bright and early

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Early Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

1 of 2

ear·​ly ˈər-lē 

1

a

: near the beginning of a period of time

awoke early in the morning

b

: near the beginning of a course, process, or series

early in his senatorial career

2

a

: before the usual or expected time

the train arrived early

b

archaic : soon

c

: sooner than related forms

these apples bear early

early

2 of 2

1

a

: of, relating to, or occurring near the beginning of a period of time, a development, or a series

in the early evening

the early symptoms of the disease

b(1)

: distant in past time

(2)

: primitive

early tools

2

a

: occurring before the usual or expected time

an early arrival

b

: occurring in the near future

at your earliest convenience

c

: maturing or producing sooner than related forms

an early peach

earliness noun

Synonyms

Adverb

  • beforehand
  • inopportunely
  • precociously
  • prematurely
  • unseasonably

Adjective

  • ancient
  • primal
  • primeval
  • primitive
  • primordial

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Example Sentences

Adverb Early in his career he moved to the city. a word first recorded early in the 17th century They were trailing by a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The package should be arriving early next week. She arrived early to help with the preparations. I got up early to finish packing. Adjective the early symptoms of the disease The early part of the book is better than the later part. We had an early spring this year. We're early. The show doesn't start for half an hour. I've always been an early riser. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Alexander said after the meeting that a vote on the partnership agreement was not rescheduled but could come as early as March 28. —Jim Morrison, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2023 Lawmakers could give the bill final passage as early as Thursday and wrap up the special session called by Gov. Kay Ivey. —Mike Cason | [email protected], al, 15 Mar. 2023 As early as last summer, the company began holding talks to raise new cash with investors, including Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, at a valuation of $55 billion to $60 billion, the Journal previously reported. —Peter Rudegeair, WSJ, 15 Mar. 2023 It is also apparently set to be shot as early as this fall, although a studio is not yet attached. —Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 15 Mar. 2023 Now, the stress in the banking sector has shifted rate markets to bet on cuts as early as June 2023 and peaking below 5%. —Philipp Carlsson-szlezak, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2023 Chi, the institute’s director, said the new drones are being tested by the Taiwanese military and will likely enter mass production as early as the end of this year. —Eric Cheung, CNN, 14 Mar. 2023 Northwestern Mutual plans to begin construction on its project as early as this fall, with completion expected in 2027. —Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2023 If Kacsmaryk rules as early as this week to remove the FDA approval, Wyden has asked that President Biden ignore the ruling, saying it is not based in science. —Austindedios, oregonlive, 12 Mar. 2023

In August of 2021, researchers at the University Hospital Düsseldorf and other institutions took these gooey human-brain blobs and coaxed them into forming early versions of eyes. —Stav Dimitropoulos, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2023 Unknownz21 has an excellent track record over the years, including sourcing an early version of iOS 14 months before release. —Gordon Kelly, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023 The study did find that infection with an early version of the virus didn’t give as much protection against the Omicron variant. —The Editors, National Review, 22 Feb. 2023 The early version of the resort consisted of a small portable cottage with a food stand out front. —Clyde Mcgrady, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2023 Jalen Thomas picked up two early fouls and Manny Bates left the game for good midway through the first half with a shoulder injury, furthering Butler's depth problems. —Akeem Glaspie, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Mar. 2023 That early advantage was crucial as Kings would go on a 3-point shooting barrage to end the frame, taking a 19-17 lead in the final seconds. —Shelby Dermer, The Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2023 If early estimates hold, the movie is on course to open to a better-than-expected $51.1 million domestically in a win for MGM and Michael B. Jordan, who directed Creed III in his feature debut. —Pamela Mcclintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2023 Scholars have said such images are based on reports of white people using Black babies as bait while hunting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. —Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'early.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English erly, from Old English ǣrlīce, from ǣr early, soon — more at ere

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of early was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Dictionary Entries Near

early

earlship

early

Early

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

Style

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“Early. ” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/early. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

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Kids Definition

early

1 of 2 adverb

ear·​ly ˈər-lē 

1

: near the beginning of a period of time or of a process or series

woke up early

2

: before the usual or expected time

arrived early

early

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: of, relating to, or occurring near the beginning of a period of time, a development, or a series

in the early evening

b

: primitive

early art forms

2

a

: occurring before the usual or expected time

had an early winter

b

: maturing or producing sooner than related forms

an early peach

earliness noun

Biographical Definition

Early

biographical name

Ear·​ly ˈər-lē 

Ju*bal ˈjü-bəl  Anderson 1816–1894 American Confederate general

More from Merriam-Webster on

early

Nglish: Translation of early for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of early for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

"For earlier" or "in advance", how is it spelled correctly?

The word "in advance" , which is an adverb, is written together with a prefix. Separate spelling of the word “for earlier” is possible in combinations like “for the previously received notification ...” The word “for the early” is written with “nn” early message.

To understand how to spell correctly "in advance" or "before" , together or separately, let's define in the context the part of speech to which it belongs.

Part of speech of the word “in advance”

The word we are interested in appears quite often in business correspondence.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in resolving this issue.

It does not change, clarifies the predicate and answers the adverbial question:

grateful when? in advance.

Based on these grammatical features, we establish that this is an adverb that literally means "in advance", "some time before something".

Spelling of the word "in advance"

Let's figure out in which cases the word "in advance" is written together and whether it is possible to write "in advance" separately.

This adverb is derived from a single-root adjective, as we will see by compiling a word-building chain.

Word-formation

early → early → earlier → beforehand

0003 "in advance" or "in advance" .

From the adverb "early" with the help of the unstressed suffix -ee- a single-root word is formed .

"In advance" is an erroneous spelling.

Since the word in question is a prefix formation, then, therefore, we will conclude that it is spelled together.

We distinguish it in context in meaning from the words "for earlier" and "for earlier" , which sound exactly the same and are written, as we see, separately.

Let's see the context:

The previously sent notification has already been paid.

Thank you for the early news.

The first sentence uses a single-root adverb "earlier" , which explains the participle, and the preposition belongs to the noun:

  • paid for what? for notice;
  • what notice? sent;
  • sent when? previously.

The word "earlier" is a completely independent lexeme.

The second sentence uses the adjective "early" in the neuter form, which defines the noun in the case form with the preposition "for" :

for what? early notice.

These are special cases of the coincidence of word forms of different parts of speech.

The word "in advance" in a business letter

And now let's find out how legitimate it is to use the word "in advance" in a business letter.

Let's start with the fact that this kind of correspondence is written using turns of speech, clichés and clichés, which are inherent in the official business style of writing. The official business style is characterized by clarity, rigor, impassivity. Business documentation uses standard expressions, impersonal sentences, words with the meaning of obligation ( must, must, must, should , etc.)

“respectfully” is often replaced with colloquial formulas:

  • thanks in advance;
  • thanks in advance;
  • thanks in advance;
  • thanks in advance for your reply.

etc.

These phrases clearly do not correspond to the style of business correspondence.

Let's also think: is it ethical to give thanks in advance for something that has not yet been done? With the word "in advance" , the writer, as it were, obliges to fulfill his request without fail, regardless of whether he wants it or not, whether the official who is being asked can or cannot do it.

“Earlier” or “PO earlier” - how to spell it correctly :: Sochinyashka.Ru

The word EARLY should be written together as a comparative form of the adverb. "Po" here is a prefix that cannot be separated from the main word.


Grammatical form of the word EARLY

The word formation of the word EARLY went through several stages.

• The first stage: with the help of the qualitative adjective RANNY and the suffix O, a single-root adverb was formed - RANO: early → early. I will have to get up very early tomorrow as we are going on a hike. The word "early" is an adverb because it does not change and answers the adverbial question (how?)

• Second stage: like all adverbs, the word "early" can form degrees of comparison: early - earlier, earlier. Tomorrow I have to get up early to finish the report that I didn't have the strength to do late in the evening. Thus, the word "early" is a form of the simple comparative degree of the adverb RANO.

The word EARLY is characterized by the following morphemic composition: earlier - prefix PO, root RAN, suffix SHE .

This comparative adverb is formed by the prefix method, so the initial combination of PO must be written together.

For example, we can take similar cases: Close - closer, further - away, loud - louder, young - younger.

In all these cases, no words can be inserted between the initial PO and the main word, and this once again proves that the word with the prefix must be written together.

What adverbs are written with a hyphen?

Distinguish between the hyphenated spelling of the software prefix. As a rule, hyphenated adverbs end in the suffixes -om, -him, -i: our - in our way, yours - in your way, people - in a human way, winter - in a winter way.

The word EARLY is not included in this group, so it should be written together.


Sample proposals for fastening

Apparently, today I will leave early: I still have time to cook a festive cake for the arrival of my husband.

I was released from the exams early: I regularly attended all the lectures during the year and successfully answered the questions on the ticket.

It is a good habit to get up half an hour early to do morning exercises.

Getting to class early and then going for a walk is the golden rule of every student.

If you start treating any disease early, it will be cured faster, and the treatment will be more effective.

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