early
     adj 1: at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of
            events or before the usual or expected time; "early
            morning"; "an early warning"; "early diagnosis"; "an
            early death"; "took early retirement"; "an early
            spring"; "early varieties of peas and tomatoes mature
            before most standard varieties" [ant: {middle}, {late}]
     2: being or occurring at an early stage of development; "in an
        early stage"; "early forms of life"; "early man"; "an
        early computer" [ant: {late}]
     3: of the distant past; "the early inhabitants of Europe";
        "former generations"; "in other times" [syn: {early(a)}, {former(a)},
         {other(a)}]
     4: very young; "at an early age"
     5: of an early stage in the development of a language or
        literature; "the Early Hebrew alphabetical script is that
        used mainly from the 11th to the 6th centuries B.C.";
        "Early Modern English is represented in documents printed
        from 1476 to 1700" [ant: {middle}, {late}]
     6: expected in the near future; "look for an early end to the
        negotiations"
     adv 1: during an early stage; "early on in her career" [syn: {early
            on}]
     2: before the usual time or the time expected; "she graduated
        early"; "the house was completed ahead of time" [syn: {ahead
        of time}, {too soon}] [ant: {late}]
     3: in good time; "he awoke betimes that morning" [syn: {betimes}]
     [also: {earliest}, {earlier}]
Source: WordNet® 2.0