Early1. (adv.) Soon; in good season; seasonably; betimes; as, come early.
2. (adv.) In advance of the usual or appointed time; in good season; prior in time; among or near the first; -- opposed to late; as, the early bird; an early spring; early fruit.
3. (adv.) Coming in the first part of a period of time, or among the first of successive acts, events, etc.
Thesaurus Entries
a priori, advanced, ages ago, ahead, ahead of time, already, anachronistic, ancient, anciently, antecedent, antedated, antediluvian, anterior, anticipative, anticipatory, antiquated, antique, away back, back, backward, before, before all, beforehand, beforetime, beginning, behind time, behindhand, betimes, bright and early, ci-devant, dated, earlier, elder, ere, ere then, erenow, erstwhile, ex post facto, first, fore, foredated, foregoing, forehand, forehanded, foresighted, foresightedly, former, formerly, heretofore, hitherto, immemorial, in advance, in ancient times, in anticipation, in good time, in olden times, in times past, inappropriate, initial, initially, inopportune, into the past, late, long ago, long since, metachronistic, misdated, mistimed, of old, of yore, old, olden, older, once, onetime, or ever, original, originally, out of date, out of season, overdue, oversoon, parachronistic, past, past due, pioneer, postdated, preceding, precipitant, precocious, precociously, precurrent, preexistent, prehistoric, premature, prematurely, prevenient, previous, previously, primal, prime, primeval, primitive, primordial, prior, priorly, pristine, prochronistic, quondam, recent, retroactive, retrospective, seasonably, senior, some time ago, some time back, sometime, soon, tardy, then, theretofore, timely, unanticipated, unexpected, unpunctual, unseasonable, untimely, years ago, yet