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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

“We have received quite a lot of messages re Coachella, we are so gutted, guys,” Lunny continued in the post.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025

Then Summers asked: “Am I thanking her or being sorry re my being married. I think the former.“

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

And then one morning, as they re walking, Margot collapses in the field.

From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman

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

“Well, I can never levitate anything right, so we ’re even,” Widget says, but he takes her cup without complaint and concentrates until it too is steaming and hot again.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Economic losses from natural catastrophes worldwide are estimated to have reached $100 billion in the first half of this year, reinsurance group Swiss Re said Tuesday, a sharp decline from the period last year.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

Looking forward, Swiss Re warned that the El Nino climate pattern, which began in June and is expected to peak later this year, could accentuate the cost from weather-related disasters.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

For the second quarter, Munich Re reported insurance revenue of 14.94 billion euros, up 1.1% compared with the year-earlier period.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

In the first half of the year, natural disasters caused around $112 billion in damage worldwide, of which $44 billion was insured, representing an insurance gap of 60%, according to Munich Re.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Ged had set off down the road from Re Albi in the winter dark before sunrise, and before noon he came to the Port of Gont.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

"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

“We are there to provide a service, we think there’s value in the service, but we do not want to re- litigate this at this time.”

From Washington Post ● May 15, 2021

The Catholic Reformation established Catholic orthodoxy and launched a massive, and largely successful, campaign to re- affirm the loyalty and enthusiasm of Catholic laypeople.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2020

Monet’s coma deepened, and he never re-, gained consciousness.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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 Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

Today’s investigators spoke with the founder of the R.E.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 16, 2023

But now R.J. and R.E. are both scheduled for most of the day.

From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 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

Pennycuik, R.E., volunteered to find out all about this by floating down the river on an improvised raft.

From The First Seven Divisions Being a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to Ypres by Ernest W. Hamilton

The changes come after the UK's highest court ruled that the RE taught in schools in Northern Ireland was unlawful.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

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

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

Teaching RE and coollective worship are legally compulsory in all schools in Northern Ireland, except nursery schools.

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

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 Robert Louis Stevenson

His films are designed to be all-consuming experiences, opening in media res, grabbing the viewer by the ankle and dragging them into action already in progress.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

We begin in medias res as the unnamed author frets about his choice to begin at chapter 13 rather than the more traditional chapter 1.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 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

Another time, a family friend prepared birria de res, the beef stew we have eaten our entire lives but which has become ubiquitous in Southern California only in the past seven years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2023

Of which he gives you the reason in another place: where, having given the precept, Neve immunda crepent, ignominiosaque dicta, He immediately subjoins, Offenduntur enim quibus est equus, et pater, et res.

From Dryden's Works Vol. 3 (of 18) Sir Martin Mar-All; The Tempest; An Evening's Love; Tyrannic Love by John Dryden

Related Words

• depend on
• rest on