Meaning

• At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.

  "at eleven, we went for an early lunch;  she began reading at an early age;  his mother suffered an early death"

• Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.

  "The early guests sipped their punch and avoided each other's eyes."

• Near the start or beginning.

  "Early results showed their winning 245 out of 300 seats in parliament. The main opponent locked up only 31 seats."

• Having begun to occur; in its early stages.

  "early cancer"

• Of a star or class of stars, hotter than the sun.

Meaning

• At a time before expected; sooner than usual.

  "We finished the project an hour sooner than scheduled, so we left early."

• Soon; in good time; seasonably.