What is the meaning of early?

adjective

• At or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time.
  • usage: "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"
• Being or occurring at an early stage of development.
  • usage: "in an early stage"; "early forms of life"; "early man"; "an early computer"
• Belonging to the distant past.
  • usage: "the early inhabitants of Europe"; "former generations"; "in other times"
  • synonyms: former, other
• Very young.
  • usage: "at an early age"
• Of an early stage in the development of a language or literature.
  • usage: "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"
• Expected in the near future.
  • usage: "look for an early end to the negotiations"

adverb

• During an early stage.
  • usage: "early on in her career"
  • synonyms: early on
• Before the usual time or the time expected.
  • usage: "she graduated early"; "the house was completed ahead of time"
  • synonyms: ahead of time, too soon
• In good time.
  • usage: "he awoke betimes that morning"
  • synonyms: betimes