early in WordNet English dictionary

1. before the usual time or the time expected
   "she graduated early"; "the house was completed ahead of time"
   early  ahead of time  too soon  early  ahead of time  too soon 
   
2. in good time
   "he awoke betimes that morning"
   early  betimes  early  betimes 
   
3. during an early stage
   "early on in her career"
   early on  early  early on  early 
   

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"
   early 
   
2. 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"
   early 
   
3. being or occurring at an early stage of development
   "in an early stage"; "early forms of life"; "early man"; "an early computer"
   early 
   
4. belonging to the distant past
   "the early inhabitants of Europe"; "former generations"; "in other times"
   early  former  other 
   
5. very young
   "at an early age"
   early 
   
6. expected in the near future
   "look for an early end to the negotiations"
   early