Synset

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
<adj.all>   freq. cnt.: 79 freq. cnt.: 79

early

sample sentences

"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"