adv. 1 beforehand, ahead (of time), prematurely I arrived too early and had to wait 2 anciently, initially, originally, at or near the start or beginning Plants appeared early in the development of life forms on earth 3 betimes, at cock crow or cock's-crow, at (the crack or break of) dawn, at daybreak You're up early this morning!
adj. 4 untimely, premature; inopportune, inappropriate The early fruit isn't as sweet 5 initial, beginning, original, first, pioneer, advanced He was one of the earliest writers on the subject 6 primeval, primitive, primordial, ancient, old, prehistoric, antediluvian, original; antique, antiquated The Olduvai Gorge has yielded up many early humanoid fossils