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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

We have in our notes for the week here “something re: SOTU,” and have been staring at it blankly for a while.

From Slate ● Feb. 28, 2026

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

But you re strong enough to walk through the storm.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia

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 really trying to focus on the last frontier of unvaccinated individuals,” said Teni-Ola Ogunjobi, a spokeswoman for the group.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 18, 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

We ’re worth as much as a sailor, Tyrion mused.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Hannover Re HNR1 -0.40%decrease; red down pointing triangle reported a lower net profit for the second quarter, hit by currency headwinds, but said it is on track to achieve its full-year guidance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 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

The total natural-catastrophe economic loss in the first half fell to $100 billion from $152 billion and was 10% below the ten-year average, the Swiss Re Institute said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

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

Solfege corresponds to the notes of the major scale, using the syllables Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, and Ti.

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

Despite all of his efforts, rebellions against his rule were frequent and Charlemagne was forced to war against former subjects to re- establish control on several occasions.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2020

“Oh my gosh,” re- membered trainer Jimmy Jones.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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

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

From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 2021

“Ain’t no party like a R.E. party ’cause a R.E. party don’t stop!”

From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2020

"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

Other authors, like Mike Brooks in his Keiko trilogy and R.E.

From The Verge ● Mar. 29, 2018

Single girders, however, are not recognized as a military means of communication, so the R.E. set to work to build a pontoon bridge alongside.

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

The ruling outlined how Z had attended St Bede's school in Redhill in the 1980s where Tudor was chaplain and an RE teacher.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 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

Love said he would be in favour of reform of the RE curriculum, and said he would "100%" teach the subject if it was reformed.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

According to this plan the syllables used in singing the harmonic minor scale would be: DO, RE, ME, FA, SOL, LE, TI, DO.

From Music Notation and Terminology by Karl Wilson Gehrkens

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

Instead of plopping us into an eternity in media res, with its own rules and regulations already in place, Freyne introduces something novel to this process: a choice.

From Salon ● Nov. 27, 2025

Birria de res — stewed beef — is on menus across town after it truly hit Southern California last decade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2024

The res angustæ domi pressing heavily upon the quick-witted, ingenious, and active young fellow, he set forth—as so many Dick Whittingtons have done before and since—to make his fortune in London City.

From Witch, Warlock, and Magician Historical Sketches of Magic and Witchcraft in England and Scotland by W. H. Davenport (William Henry Davenport) Adams

Related Words

• depend on
• rest on