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Early vs Initial - What's the difference?

early | initial |

Initial is a antonym of early.



As adjectives the difference between early and initial

is that early is at a time in advance of the usual or expected event while initial is chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.

As nouns the difference between early and initial

is that early is a shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day while initial is the first letter of a word or a name.

As an adverb early

is at a time before expected; sooner than usual.

As a verb initial is

to sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.

early

English

Adjective

(er)
  • At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=28, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= High and wet , passage=Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale. The early , intense onset of the monsoon on June 14th swelled rivers, washing away roads, bridges, hotels and even whole villages. Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.}}
  • Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.
  • Near the start or beginning.
  • *
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage='Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Dotcom mania was slow in coming to higher education, but now it has the venerable industry firmly in its grip. Since the launch early last year of Udacity and Coursera, two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations.}}
  • Having begun to occur; in its early stages.

    • Synonyms

    * (at a time in advance of the usual): premature * (near the start): first

    Antonyms

    * (at a time in advance of the usual): late * : terminal

    Derived terms

    (Derived terms) * earliness * early bath * early bird/the early bird catches the worm * early doors * early grave * early innings * earlyish * Early Latin * early modern * early music * early on * early purple orchid * early retirement * early spider orchid * early syphilis * * early warning radar * early winter cress * early withdrawal * nice and early

    Adverb

    (er)
  • At a time before expected; sooner than usual.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.}}
  • Soon; in good time; seasonably.
  • * Bible, Proverbs viii. 17
    • Those that seek me early shall find me.
  • *
    • You must wake and call me early .

    Synonyms

    * prematurely

    Antonyms

    * late, tardily

    Noun

    (earlies)
  • A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day.
  • * 2007 , Paul W. Browning, The Good Guys Wear Blue (page 193)
    • On my first day on the watch after leaving the shoplifting squad I paraded on earlies but had completely forgotten to take my ear ring off.

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * 1000 English basic words

    initial

    English

    (wikipedia initial)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Chronologically first, early; of or pertaining to the beginning, cause or origin.
  • :
  • :
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=19 citation , passage=Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.}}
  • Spatially first, placed at the beginning, in the first position; especially said of the first letter of a word.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial , a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.

    • Synonyms

    * incipient * opening

    Antonyms

    * final

    Derived terms

    * initially * initialness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The first letter of a word or a name.
  • In plural, the first letter of each word of a person's full name considered as a unit
    • You can get your initials printed at the top.
  • (typesetting, calligraphy) A distinguished initial letter of a chapter or section of a document.
  • (phonology) onset, part of a syllable that precedes the syllable nucleus in phonetics and phonology.

    • Synonyms

    * drop cap, versal

    Derived terms

    * initialism * initial teaching alphabet

    Verb

  • To sign one's initial(s), as an abbreviated signature.
    • Please initial each page and sign the contract in full at the bottom.

    See also

    * middle

    Related terms

    * initiate * initiation * initiative * initialize * init

    External links

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