different between early vs precipitous

English

Etymology

From Middle English erly, erli, from Old English ?rl??e, ?rl??e (“early; early in the morning”), equivalent to ere +? -ly. Cognate with Old Norse árla ( > Danish and Norwegian årle, Swedish arla, Faroese árla). Compare also West Frisian earen (“early”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /??li/, enPR: ûr?l?
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???.li/, enPR: ûr?l?
• Rhymes: -??(?)li
• Hyphenation: ear?ly
• Homophone: Earley

Adjective

early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)

1. At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.

2. Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.

3. Near the start or beginning.

4. Having begun to occur; in its early stages.

5. (astronomy) Of a star or class of stars, hotter than the sun.

   Antonym: late

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

• (at a time in advance of the usual): late
• (illness: having begun to occur): terminal

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adverb

early (comparative earlier, superlative earliest)

1. At a time before expected; sooner than usual.

2. Soon; in good time; seasonably.

   • Those that seek me early shall find me.

   • ?, Alfred Tennyson, The May Queen

     You must wake and call me early.

Synonyms

• prematurely

Antonyms

• late, tardily

Translations

Noun

early (plural earlies)

1. (informal) A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day.

Antonyms

• late

Anagrams

• Arely, Arley, Layer, Leary, Raley, Rayle, layer, leary, re-lay, relay

English

Etymology

From obsolete French précipiteux, from Vulgar Latin *praecipitosus. Equivalent to precipice (“steep”) +? -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p???s?p?t?s/

Adjective

precipitous

1. Steep, like a precipice

2. Headlong

3. Hasty; rash; quick; sudden

Synonyms

• (steep): brant, steep-to
• (headlong): headlong, precipitant, precipitous
• (hasty, rash): heedless, hotheaded, impetuous; see also Thesaurus:reckless
• (sudden): abrupt, precipitous, subitaneous; see also Thesaurus:sudden

Translations