earlier
/ˈɝliɚ/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
occurring previously
Adjective
Examples
I shall be late because I missed the earlier train.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
previously; before now; sooner
Adverb
Examples
From what I vaguely saw earlier this morning, when I had just woken up and was tidying my bed, a tall, bulky person left an unfamiliar box at my front door.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “earlier” mean?
occurring previously
Is “earlier” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.