Earlier and First

Earlier adverb - So as to precede something in order of time.

First and earlier are semantically related In some cases you can use "First" instead the word "Earlier" as an adverb or an adjective.

First adverb - As a substitute.

Earlier and first are semantically related in time topic. Sometimes you can use "Earlier" instead the word "First" as an adverb or an adjective, if it concerns topics such as before.

Nearby Word: firstly