tidlig

Tidlig is a Danish and Norwegian adjective meaning early, used to describe something that occurs sooner than the usual or expected moment. It can refer to times of day, events, processes, or developmental stages, and it is common in everyday speech.

Etymology and cognates: The term derives from tid, meaning time, with the suffix -lig forming an adjective meaning "characteristic of." It is cognate with Swedish tidig and Norwegian tidlig; Swedish uses tidig with the same meaning. The comparative and superlative forms in Danish are tidligere (earlier) and tidigst (earliest), used for comparisons rather than for the simple attribute of being early.

Usage examples: In phrases such as tidlig morgen (early morning), tidlig afrejse (early departure), and tidlige stadier (early stages), the word emphasizes that the described moment precedes what is ordinary or planned. In idiomatic use in Norwegian, "tidlig ute" conveys being early or proactive relative to others.

Notes: Tidlig is not a place name or a surname in common use, though it can appear as part of personal or place names by coincidence. The term is shared across Danish and Norwegian and reflects common Germanic word formation patterns for time-related adjectives.