A2
near the beginning of a period of time, process, etc.
Dictionary examples:
I woke up so early, even the roosters were still snoring! (0.0)
In the early days of school, I thought lunch was a subject. (0.0)
In my early career, I thought a mouse pad was for mice. (0.0)
My earliest memory is of being shown around our new house. (29.1)
the early 1980s (45.9)
Detroit has been an automotive center since the early days/years of car manufacturing. (67.2)