earliest of all

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "earliest of all" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something is the first or the most early in a particular context or comparison. Example: "Among all the submissions, hers was the earliest of all, arriving well before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

The Royal Opera's latest attempt to connect with a wider audience takes it to the Roundhouse in north London, with its first ever staging of the earliest of all operatic masterpieces.

The Guardian - Music

Among the earliest of all known weights is the Babylonian mina, which in one surviving form weighed about 640 grams (about 23 ounces) and in another about 978 grams (about 34 ounces).

Encyclopedia Britannica

The deception evoked that earliest of all ruses de guerre, when the Israelites sounded trumpets and clattered round and round the walls of Jericho to give the illusion of being numerous.

Independent

Even the aristocrats who formed the Congress of Vienna in 1815, which sought to restore law and order to Europe following the upheavals brought on by Napoleon, delighted in performing this earliest of all nonaristocratic ballroom dances.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The earliest of all extant manuscripts of the Insular style is the Cathach ("Battler") of St. Columba (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin), who, according to legend, wrote it himself and, in the judgment of scholars, may actually have done so.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They have preserved Conolly's Folly in County Kildare; they have restored Riverstown House, near Cork; and they have recently purchased Castletown House, which was begun according to the designs of an Italian architect named Galilei in 1722 & is considered the finest as well as the earliest of all Georgian houses in Ireland.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

He criticized the scientific community for not having published a summary statement earlier of all of the scientific evidence that H.I.V. causes AIDS.

The New York Times

To be sure, it's early: Of all private capital raised under Regulation D in 2014, less than 5percentt of it was raised under Rule 506(c).

TechCrunch

It may be his earliest comedy of all, or at least the earliest to survive (though The Comedy of Errors is another contender for this title).

The Guardian

The delay times of the earliest M ≥ 4 aftershock and those of the earliest aftershocks of all magnitudes are shown in Fig. 5c, d.

Earth, Planets and Space

The next layer might include witch hazels, the earliest bloomers of all, and oak-leaf hydrangeas, as beautiful for their leaves and bark as for their white flowers.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "earliest of all" to emphasize the initial or starting point in a sequence or comparison, especially when highlighting that something precedes everything else in its category. This phrase is effective for setting a context or timeline.

Common error

Avoid using "most early of all" as it is redundant. The phrase "earliest of all" already conveys the superlative degree, so adding "most" is unnecessary and weakens the sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "earliest of all" functions as a superlative adjective phrase. It modifies a noun to indicate that it is the very first or oldest item within a defined set. This is confirmed by Ludwig, which indicates the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

29%

Encyclopedias

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "earliest of all" is a grammatically sound and frequently used superlative expression. It serves to emphasize the position of something as the very first or oldest within a defined set. Ludwig confirms its correctness and adaptability across various contexts, including science, news media, and encyclopedic references. While versatile, it's crucial to avoid redundancy such as "most early of all". Alternatives like "first and foremost" or "at the very beginning" can offer nuanced expressions of the same concept. Remembering these details can help ensure precision and impact in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

before anything else

Focuses on the sequence of events, highlighting what comes before all other things.

from the start

Highlights a condition or state that has been present since inception.

at the outset

Emphasizes the initial stage of a project or endeavor.

in the first instance

Focuses on the very first action or occurrence in a series of events.

first and foremost

Emphasizes priority rather than temporal order; more about importance.

in the beginning

Focuses on the genesis or origin, akin to a creation narrative.

at the very beginning

Highlights the starting point or initial phase of something.

to begin with

Introduces a point that is chronologically or logically prior.

initially

Refers to the starting point but is more concise and less emphatic.

in its infancy

Highlights the initial stage of development or existence.

FAQs

How can I use "earliest of all" in a sentence?

You can use "earliest of all" to emphasize that something is the very first or oldest in a given context. For example, "This is the "earliest of all" known examples of this type of pottery."

What's the difference between "earliest" and "earliest of all"?

"Earliest" indicates something is the first, while ""earliest of all"" emphasizes that it precedes everything else in its category, adding a stronger sense of primacy.

What are some alternatives to "earliest of all"?

Alternatives include "first and foremost", "before anything else", or "at the very beginning", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "most early of all" instead of "earliest of all"?

No, "most early of all" is grammatically incorrect and redundant. The correct and more idiomatic phrase is ""earliest of all"".