earlier

adjective

1. Going before: advance, antecedent, anterior, precedent, preceding, previous, prior. See precede/follow.
2. Just gone by or elapsed: antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, past, precedent, preceding, previous, prior. See time.

adverb

1. At a time in the past: already, before, erstwhile, formerly, once, previously. Archaic aforetime, beforetime. See precede/follow.
2. Up to this time: before, heretofore, previously, yet. See precede/follow.
3. Until then: before, beforehand. See precede/follow.

IN BRIEF: More before the expected, appointed, or usual time; Belonging to a period further back in time.

For what is man's lifetime unless the memory of past events is woven with those of earlier times? — Cicero

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The adjective has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: occurring earlier in time

Meaning #2: (comparative and superlative of `early') more early than; most early
  Synonym: earliest

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The adverb earlier has 3 meanings:

Meaning #1: earlier in time; previously
  Synonym: before

Meaning #2: comparatives of `soon' or `early'
  Synonym: sooner

Meaning #3: before now
  Synonyms: in the first place, in the beginning, to begin with, originally

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