early
UK[ˈɜːli]US[ˈɜːrli]
adj
Happening or done before the usual or expected time
adj
Near the beginning of a period of time, a process, or a series
adv
Before the usual or expected time
adv
Near the beginning of a period of time or a process
Etymology
The word 'early' originates from the Old English 'ǣrlice', an adverb meaning 'soon' or 'early in the morning'. This was formed from 'ǣr', meaning 'ere' or 'before', combined with the adverbial suffix '-lice' (equivalent to modern '-ly'). The root 'ǣr' itself can be traced back to Proto-Germanic 'airiz', a comparative form meaning 'earlier', which is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root 'ayer-', meaning 'day, morning'. The semantic journey is direct: from the ancient concept of the 'morning' part of the day, to the comparative sense of 'sooner', and finally to the modern, broader meanings relating to precedence in time.
Analysis
The word 'early' is a simplex word derived from a single Old English root. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes in its modern English spelling.
Examples
We had an early breakfast before the flight.
She discovered a talent for music at an early age.
The project was finished early, ahead of the deadline.