Dictionary definition · earlier
adjective
- (comparative and superlative of ‘early’) more early than; most early"a fashion popular in earlier times"
adverb
- earlier in time; previously"I had known her before"
- comparatives of ‘soon’ or ‘early’"Come a little sooner, if you can"
- before now"why didn't you tell me in the first place?"
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).