earlier

Everyday

1. Earlier means at a time before now or before another time. tree →
2. More early: sooner than usual or sooner than something else. tree →
3. As an adjective, it means coming before another one, as in an earlier chapter. tree →

In the lessons

In stories it tells the reader that something happened before the present scene (flashback words like «earlier that day»). In maths time problems, «2 hours earlier» means you subtract 2 hours. In school instructions: «as we saw earlier», «the earlier question». Phrases: earlier today, earlier on, earlier than, a little earlier.

Examples

• I saw your dog earlier today. tree →
• We went to bed earlier than usual because of the trip. tree →
• The bus left ten minutes earlier than the timetable said. tree →
• Look back at the earlier page for help. tree →
• Earlier, it was sunny, but now it is raining. tree →
• Can you come a bit earlier tomorrow? tree →
• The earlier you start your homework, the sooner you finish. tree →
• If the film starts at 7:00, an hour earlier is 6:00. tree →
• But none got there earlier than Mother Monkey. tree →

Note

It is the comparative of early (early, earlier, earliest); spelled with -ier because the y changes to i. Opposite: later. In time sums, earlier means take away time: 3 hours earlier than 5 pm is 2 pm.

In Jewish tradition

In stories it tells the reader that something happened before the present scene (flashback words like «earlier that day»). In maths time problems, «2 hours earlier» means you subtract 2 hours. In school instructions: «as we saw earlier», «the earlier question». Phrases: earlier today, earlier on, earlier than, a little earlier.

Examples

• The linear characters in Egypt are earlier than the hieroglyphics, though a few of the forms may ultimately have been fused with the latter. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

It is the comparative of early (early, earlier, earliest); spelled with -ier because the y changes to i. Opposite: later. In time sums, earlier means take away time: 3 hours earlier than 5 pm is 2 pm.