early

early

---

Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling for "early" is /ˈɜːrli/.

• First syllable: /ɜːr/ (as in "her")

• Second syllable: /li/ (as in "lee")

---

Word Form Variations

• Adjective: early (comparative: earlier, superlative: earliest)

• Adverb: early (comparative: earlier, superlative: earliest)

---

---

Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Adjective

• Definition 1: Occurring or done before the usual or expected time.

• Synonyms: prompt, timely, premature, unseasonable

• Antonyms: late, tardy, delayed

• Definition 2: Belonging to the first part of a period of time or a process.

• Synonyms: initial, nascent, primary, beginning

• Antonyms: late, final, concluding

Adverb

• Definition 1: Before the usual or expected time.

• Synonyms: promptly, soon, ahead of schedule

• Antonyms: late, tardily

• Definition 2: In the first part of a period of time or event.

• Synonyms: initially, at first, from the outset

• Antonyms: later, finally

---

Examples of Use

• Books: "The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." (Source: A common proverb, often attributed to various sources, but widely used in self-help and business books).

• Newspapers: "Economists warn that it's too early to tell if the recent interest rate cut will have a significant impact on inflation." (Source: The Wall Street Journal, June 2024)

• Online Publications: "How to wake up early and boost your productivity." (Source: Lifehacker, May 2024)

• Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the film Groundhog Day, Phil Connurs repeatedly wakes up early on the same day.

• Entertainment Platforms (Television): A character in a medical drama might say, "We caught the disease early, so the prognosis is good."

• General Public Discourse: "I need to leave early today to beat the rush hour traffic."

• General Public Discourse: "It's still early days for the new project, but we're optimistic about its potential."

---

---

10 Quotes Using Early

1. "The early bird catches the worm." (Common Proverb)

2. "I have to get up early in the morning and I have to go to bed late at night." (Donald Trump, The Art of the Deal)

3. "It is early days yet." (Common idiom, often used in various contexts, including Winston Churchill's speeches)

4. "You want to be the person who gets up early in the morning and works hard." (Manny Pacquiao)

5. "I never loved you any more than I do, early in the morning, before I think about anything nasty." (Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar)

6. "We are seeing the results of the policies we put in place early on." (Barack Obama)

7. "Go to bed early and wake up with the sun." (A common piece of traditional advice)

8. "It's early in the morning and my brain's not fully functioning." (Many variations, often attributed to various public figures in informal settings)

9. "The early stages of love are usually exciting, almost intoxicating." (The Dalai Lama XIV)

10. "The truth is, I'm a bit of an early riser." (Variations attributed to numerous individuals, particularly in interviews)

---

Etymology

The word "early" has a long history, going all the way back to Old English, which was spoken before the year 1150.

It comes from the Old English word "ǣrlīce" (pronounced something like "air-leech-uh"). This word was a combination of two parts:

1. "ǣr": This meant "soon" or "before." You can still see a relative of this word in "ere," as in "ere long" (meaning "before long").

2. "-līce": This was a common ending in Old English that turned words into adverbs, similar to how we use "-ly" today. So, it was like saying "in an 'ear' manner" or "in a 'soon' manner."

So, the very first meaning of "early" was essentially "soon" or "before the usual/expected time." It was used to describe something happening at the beginning of a period or before it was anticipated. Over time, it also developed its adjective form, describing something as "occurring early."

---

---

Phrases + Idioms Containing Early

• Early bird catches the worm: This means that the person who arrives first or acts promptly will have the advantage or be successful.

• Early doors: Used informally, especially in British English, to mean at an early stage or at the beginning of an event.

• Early on: At an early stage in a process or period of time.

• Early adopter: A person who starts using a product or technology as soon as it becomes available.

• Early warning: A signal or sign that something, often bad, is likely to happen soon.

• Early grave: An untimely death, especially at a young age.

• Early days: It's too soon to know how a situation will develop.

• Early night: Going to bed earlier than usual.

• Rise early: To get out of bed early in the morning.

• Call it an early night: To decide to go to bed earlier than usual.

---

Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

---

Source Information

Definition of early from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

---