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Earliest: meaning, definitions and examples

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earliest

 

[ ˈɜːrliɪst ]

Adjective / Adverb / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

time

Happening or belonging to the beginning of a particular time or period.

Synonyms

first, initial, original.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
earliest

Used to reference the very beginning of a timeline or the first occurrence of something.

  • The earliest signs of civilization emerged in ancient Mesopotamia
  • She arrived at the office at the earliest possible time
initial

Often used to describe something happening at the very start but not necessarily the very first in a sequence.

  • The initial phase of the project was the most challenging
  • She had an initial reaction of surprise
first

Commonly used to denote the very beginning in a sequence or to mark priority.

  • He was the first person to finish the race
  • I need to discuss the first item on our agenda
original

Typically refers to something that existed first and has not been altered.

  • The original manuscript was written in the 16th century
  • This is an original Picasso painting

Examples of usage

  • the earliest inhabitants of the region
  • the earliest written records date from the third century BC
Context #2 | Adverb

time

At or for the beginning of a particular time or period.

Examples of usage

  • the train that arrives earliest at the station
  • he got up earliest in the morning
Context #3 | Noun

time

The earliest stage in the development of something.

Examples of usage

  • the earliest of his books
  • the earliest appearance of the disease

Translations

Translations of the word "earliest" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mais cedo

🇮🇳 सबसे पहले

🇩🇪 früheste

🇮🇩 paling awal

🇺🇦 найраніший

🇵🇱 najwcześniejszy

🇯🇵 最も早い

🇫🇷 le plus tôt

🇪🇸 más temprano

🇹🇷 en erken

🇰🇷 가장 이른

🇸🇦 الأبكر

🇨🇿 nejdřívější

🇸🇰 najskorší

🇨🇳 最早的

🇸🇮 najzgodnejši

🇮🇸 fyrstur

🇰🇿 ең ерте

🇬🇪 ყველაზე ადრე

🇦🇿 ən erkən

🇲🇽 más temprano

Etymology

The word 'earliest' is derived from the Middle English word 'erliest', which is a combination of 'er' (early) and 'liest' (superlative suffix). The concept of 'earliest' has been used throughout history to denote the beginning or initial stage of something, whether it be time, development, or existence.

See also: earlier, early.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,183, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.