earliest

Ear·ly  (ûrl), Jubal Anderson 1816-1894.

American Confederate general whose forces threatened Washington, D.C. (1864) but were ultimately defeated by Union troops led by Philip H. Sheridan (1865).

---

ear·ly  (ûrl)

adj. ear·li·er, ear·li·est

1. Of or occurring near the beginning of a given series, period of time, or course of events: in the early morning; scored two runs in the early innings.

2.

a. Of or belonging to a previous or remote period of time: the early inhabitants of the British Isles.

b. Of or belonging to an initial stage of development: an early form of life; an early computer.

3. Occurring, developing, or appearing before the expected or usual time: an early spring; an early retirement.

4. Maturing or developing relatively soon: an early variety of tomato.

5. Occurring in the near future: Observers predicted an early end to the negotiations.

adv. ear·lier, ear·liest

1.

a. Near the beginning of a given series, period of time, or course of events: departed early in the day; scored important victories early in the campaign.

b. At or near the beginning of the morning: She never used to get up so early.

2. At or during a remote or initial period: decided very early to go into medicine.

3. Before the expected or usual time: arrived at the meeting a few minutes early.

4. Soon in relation to others of its kind: a rose that was cultivated to bloom early.

Idiom:

early on

At an early stage or point: "Early on, [he] found that being honest and being funny were almost the same thing" (Maureen Orth).

---

[Middle English erli, from Old English rlce : r, before; see ayer- in Indo-European roots + -lce, adv. suff.; see -ly².]

---

earli·ness n.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	earliest - (comparative and superlative of `early') more early than; most early; "a fashion popular in earlier times"; "his earlier work reflects the influence of his teacher"; "Verdi's earliest and most raucous opera" earlier comparative, comparative degree - the comparative form of an adjective or adverb; "`faster' is the comparative of the adjective `fast'"; "`less famous' is the comparative degree of the adjective `famous'"; "`more surely' is the comparative of the adverb `surely'" early - 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"
Adv.	1.	earliest - with the least delay; "the soonest I can arrive is 3 P.M." soonest

---

earliest

adjective first, opening, original, initial This is the earliest confirmed case of AIDS in the world.

Translations

earliest [ˈɜː^rliɪst]

adj superlative of early

n
at the earliest (= not before) → au plus tôt