Early
Adjective, Adverb
UK
/ˈɜː.li/
US
/ˈɝː.li/
Definition
(adj) : Happening at the beginning or before the usual time.
(adv) : Before the expected time.
(adv) : Before the expected time.
Example
"(adj) : The early morning air was fresh and cool, perfect for jogging."
"(adj) : He caught the early train, which left before sunrise, to avoid the busy morning rush."
"(adv) : She arrived early for the meeting, giving herself plenty of time to prepare notes."
Explanation
Early means happening before the usual or expected time. For example, if school starts at 8:00 and you arrive at 7:30, you are early. It can describe time (early morning), behaviour (an early start), or even stages in life (early childhood). People often wake up early to do more work or exercise. As an adverb, it means “sooner than usual”, like “She arrived early”. As an adjective, it describes something that happens at the beginning of a time or process.