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Updated June 2026
At a time before the present or before a specified point in time. As an adjective, it describes something belonging to or occurring near the beginning of a period or sequence.
“I mentioned earlier that we would need to leave by three o'clock.”
/ˈɜː.lɪə/
ear·li·er
Contains three vowels (E, A, I, E) with double E; watch for -IER ending pattern
Worth 7 points; good for using common letters with comparative -IER ending
Shorter words formed from the letters in “earlier”.
8-letter words you can spell by adding one letter to “earlier”.
Look up earlier in an authoritative dictionary for full definitions, pronunciation, and etymology.
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