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• re
  re

  noun

  the syllable used for the second tone of a diatonic scale.
• 're
  're

  contraction of are: They're leaving.
• Re
  Re

  noun

  Ra.
• R/E
  R/E

  real estate.
• re-
  re-

  a prefix, occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, used with the meaning “again” or “again and again” to indicate repetition, or with the meaning “back” or “backward” to indicate withdrawal or backward motion.
• Re.
  Re.

  abbreviation

  rupee.
• r.e.
  r.e.

  abbreviation

  right end.
• R.E.
  R.E.

  abbreviation

  real estate.
• RE
  RE

  abbreviation

  Reformed Episcopal

re

¹ American  

[rey] / reɪ /

noun

Music.

res plural

1. the syllable used for the second tone of a diatonic scale.

2. (in the fixed system of solmization) the tone D.

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re ² American  

[ree, rey] / ri, reɪ /

preposition

Chiefly Law and Commerce.

1. in the case of; with reference to; in re.

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're ³ American  

[er] / ər /

1. contraction of are: They're leaving.

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Re ⁴ American  

[rey] / reɪ /

noun

Egyptian Religion.

1. Ra.

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Re ⁵ American  

Symbol, Chemistry.

1. rhenium.

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R/E ⁶ American  

Or RE

1. real estate.

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re- ⁷ American  

1. a prefix, occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, used with the meaning “again” or “again and again” to indicate repetition, or with the meaning “back” or “backward” to indicate withdrawal or backward motion.

   regenerate; refurbish; retype; retrace; revert.

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Re. ⁸ American  

Or re.

abbreviation

1. rupee.

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r.e. ⁹ American  

abbreviation

Football.

1. right end.

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R.E. ¹⁰ American  

abbreviation

1. real estate.

2. Reformed Episcopal.

3. Right Excellent.

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RE ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Reformed Episcopal

2. Religious Education

3. Right Excellent

4. Royal Engineers

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re- ² British  

prefix

1. indicating return to a previous condition, restoration, withdrawal, etc

   rebuild

   renew

   retrace

   reunite

2. indicating repetition of an action

   recopy

   remarry

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Re ³ British  

/ reɪ /

noun

1. another name for Ra 2

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Re ⁴ British  

symbol

1. rhenium

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Re ⁵ British  

symbol

1. rupee

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're ⁶ British  

contraction

1. are

   we're

   you're

   they're

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re ⁷ British  

/ riː, reɪ /

noun

1. music a variant spelling of ray 3

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re ⁸ British  

/ riː /

preposition

1. with reference to

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re ⁹ British  

abbreviation

1. Reunion Island

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Usage

See contraction.

Verbs beginning with re- indicate repetition or restoration. It is unnecessary to add an adverb such as back or again : This must not occur again (not recur again ); we recounted the votes (not recounted the votes again , which implies that the votes were counted three times, not twice)

Re , in contexts such as re your letter, your remarks have been noted or he spoke to me re your complaint , is common in business or official correspondence. In general English with reference to is preferable in the former case and about or concerning in the latter. Even in business correspondence, the use of re is often restricted to the letter heading

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• res
  plural

Etymology

Origin of re¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; see origin at gamut

Origin of re²

First recorded in 1700–10; from Latin rē “(in the) matter, affair, thing,” ablative of rēs

Origin of re-⁷

Middle English < Latin re-, red-

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

re 're Re re- r.e. R.E. RE res

To investigate further, the team re examined every fossil bone previously identified as belonging to geese.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 11, 2026

“All of Barak’s business activities, including re Reporty, were conducted under careful legal advice and according to the law,” his spokesman said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026

The announcement came amid Amazon’s AWS re: Invent event taking place in Las Vegas this week.

From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025

See above re: superhuman levels of self-delusion that typically function as an asset.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2025

“Hells yes, for sure. I know so because we re going to make a home there. If you make something happen you can count on it being for sure.”

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

But if you 're looking for a sweet dessert, serve with whipped cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2024

“We ’re not trying to single out one nation,” Kerry said.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 10, 2021

"They 're not going to let you come in here and just – help people."

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2018

"The parties need to try and see if we 're going to move, if we're going to have power sharing, and if not we're going to have to deal with the consequences."

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2017

I think I know what you ’re doing.

From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner

Shamieh joined Berkshire’s Gen Re in 2018 and previously helped AIG strike a deal with Berkshire.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

Then, his relatives would show off with “Do Re Mi.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

When Vice President Walter Mondale visited in 1979, he quipped that he heard “two Chinese classics, ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Do Re Mi.’

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Hannover Re said reinsurance revenue was up 0.6% on year when adjusting for the effect of changes in foreign-exchange rates, with an increase in life-and-health reinsurance revenue offsetting a decline in property-and-casualty reinsurance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

It is a pentatonic raga, which means that only 5 pitches are used, Sa, Re, Ga, Pa and Dha.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

"This study could be the initial mover for re- evaluating the comet interior evolution and activity theory."

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2024

Mask-wearing stopped being compulsory in May, but the government is reserving the right to re- introduce it under its winter plan.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2021

Guard soldiers typically form a second line behind them, designed to keep protesters from breaking police lines and to move away arrestees, freeing up officers to re- engage with protesters.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 17, 2021

They re- established trade routes and initiated a new phase of Middle Eastern politics that eventually led to the largest empires the world had yet seen.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2020

Only the old oaks seemed reluctant to give up the summer, and their leaves re- mained an even mingling of gold and green.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

The solar technology company expanded its relationship with renewable energy company BayWa r.e.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2022

The whole issue of 2018 estimated r.e. taxes paid in 2017 will be an extremely sticky wicket.

From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2017

To r.e., re—c.a.p., cap, recap—i.t, it, re—capit—Lor'! what a twister!—u, recapitu—l.a.t.e, late, re-cap-it-u-late the events de-tailed in my last letter, full stop—there! if I han't read that full stop out loud!

From I Saw Three Ships and Other Winter Tales by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

“All the players were talking about it. We were told Mexico this and Mexico that,” said Onyewu, now an executive at Belgian club R.E.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 12, 2021

"Goodbar was chasing the family dog when she entered the roadway and was struck by the vehicle," Virginia State Police Senior Trooper R.E.

From Fox News ● Oct. 30, 2018

Even the church Lee attended in Lexington, Virginia, is no longer R.E.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 8, 2018

Stearns, October One of my absolute favorite books of 2017 was R.E.

From The Verge ● Jan. 5, 2018

J. Herschel, R.E., stated: The years from 1840 to 1865 are a complete blank, if we except Airy’s relative density experiments in 1854.

From Development of Gravity Pendulums in the 19th Century Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, Papers 34-44 On Science and Technology, Smithsonian Institution, 1966 by Lenzen, Victor Fritz

But the Supreme Court ruled that RE was not taught in "an objective, critical, and pluralistic manner."

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

He has also introduced a simpler process for parents to withdraw their children from RE or collective worship.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

Givan has appointed Prof Noel Purdy from Stranmillis University College to chair the panel which will draw up the new RE syllabus.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

But the judges ruled RE was not taught in "an objective, critical, and pluralistic manner," and that could amount to "indoctrination".

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

Paul had to go to Vailele RE cocoa-nuts; it was doubtful if he could be back by dinner; never mind, said I, I'll take dinner when you return.

From Vailima Letters by Stevenson, Robert Louis

Like Nokia’s Labovitz, he had become fixated on the Chinese company behind the res proxy network connected to Kimwolf.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026

The law deems them res nullius, which literally means a thing belonging to nobody - so responsibility falls to individual landowners.

From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2025

Don’t miss some returning favorites, such as the barbacoa tamal de res, in which the beef is pleasantly tender, or the braised pork belly adobo, one of the heartier dishes at the festival.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2025

Nevertheless, if you’re exhausted with voiceover exposition, you’re probably also over in medias res openers, i.e. starting with a scene from the middle of the story before flashing back to the beginning.

From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2025

How well should my library be furnished, 'nisi obstat res angusta domi,' 'My lot forbids, nor circumscribes alone My growing virtues, but my crimes confines.'

From The Genius of Scotland or Sketches of Scottish Scenery, Literature and Religion by Turnbull, Robert

Related Words

• depend on
• rest on