# early

/ˈɝɫi/ (US) · /ˈɜːli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/early
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. near the beginning

adjective · CEFR A1

happening near the start of a period of time, a process, or a series.

For teachers: occurring near the beginning of a period of time, a development, or a sequence.

- The early chapters of the book explain the history of the city.
- Early results from the clinical trial suggest that the new medication is effective, though further long-term study is required.

### 2. before the expected time

adjective · CEFR A2

happening or arriving before the usual or planned time.

For teachers: occurring or arriving in advance of the customary or scheduled time.

- I was early for my appointment, so I waited in the café.
- The project reached completion an early stage, allowing the team to conduct additional quality assurance tests before the official launch.

### 3. in the morning

adjective · CEFR A1

happening in the first few hours of the day.

For teachers: occurring during the initial hours of the day, typically around sunrise.

- I like to go for an early walk while the streets are quiet.
- The early flight to Brussels requires us to be at the airport by four in the morning.

### 4. hotter stars

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

used to describe a star that is much hotter than our sun.

For teachers: denoting a star or class of stars that is hotter than the sun, typically belonging to the O, B, or A spectral types.

- Astronomers study early stars to understand how the universe began.
- The classification of an early-type star is based on its high surface temperature and specific spectral lines.

### 5. sooner than expected

adverb · CEFR A1

at a time before the usual or planned time.

For teachers: at a point in time prior to that which is expected, scheduled, or usual.

- The guests arrived early, so the food wasn't ready yet.
- If we finish the report early, we can submit it before the weekend and avoid the Monday morning rush.

Usage: Typically placed at the end of a clause or after the verb.

### 6. morning work shift

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a work period that starts very early in the morning.

For teachers: a scheduled period of work occurring in the early morning hours.

- I'm tired because I've been on the early all week.
- The nursing staff rotates between the early, the late, and the night shift to ensure twenty-four-hour coverage.

## Examples

- I woke up early this morning to exercise.
- The early astronomers used simple tools to track the movement of stars across the night sky.
- Early observations of planetary motion provided the foundational data that later scientists used to prove that the Earth orbits the Sun.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.