What does "earliest" mean?

1. (first in time) happening at the very beginning of a period or before anything else. 2. (at the first possible time) at the first possible moment or as soon as you can.

How do you use "earliest"?

Often used with 'the' as it identifies a unique point in a sequence. Commonly found in the formal phrase 'at your earliest convenience'.

earliest

adj. · adv.

US //ˈɝɫiəst// UK //ˈɜːlɪəst// ear·li·est

1 first in time (adj.)
A2 Elementary

happening at the very beginning of a period or before anything else.

denoting the first part of a period of time or the first in a chronological sequence.

Example

The earliest trains leave the station at four in the morning.

Example

Archaeologists discovered that the earliest settlements in this valley date back to the Bronze Age, long before the arrival of Roman explorers.

Usage

Often used with 'the' as it identifies a unique point in a sequence.
- latest
- last
2 at the first possible time (adv.)
B1 Intermediate

at the first possible moment or as soon as you can.

at the most premature or initial point possible within a timeframe.

Example

Please call me back at your earliest convenience.

Example

The shipment is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday at the earliest, assuming there are no further delays at the border.

Usage

Commonly found in the formal phrase 'at your earliest convenience'.
- soonest
- latest