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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  

[ray] / 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, ray] / 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  

[ray] / 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

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

John: Lack of re investment of the transfer revenue clearly demonstrates the lack of ambition of the club.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2025

“Oh! You re reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I love that book. Read it out loud. Like you did when we were little.”

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

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

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

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

South Carolina’s insurance regulator filed a petition Tuesday to place Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Company and Southern Atlantic Re into rehabilitation, a court-supervised process similar to chapter 11 bankruptcy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

More than a third, or 40%, of U.S. data-center capacity is located in tornado-prone areas, and over a quarter in areas subject to large hailstorms, according to Swiss Re.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

Find insight on Coinbase, Munich Re, Standard Life and more in the latest Market Talks covering financial services.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Find insight on Hannover Re, ABN AMRO, Suncorp and more in the latest Market Talks covering financial services.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Along towards Sunreturn when the first heavy snows began to fall in the heights of Gont they came to Re Albi, Ogion's home.

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

He has helped his servant Israel, in re-

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2025

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

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2024

The lens is dynamic, focusing and re- focusing light as the eye rests on near and far objects in the visual field.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Peter Budaj was re- assigned and Trevor Lewis was put on injured reserve, retroactive to Nov. 16.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2018

Late that afternoon Admiral Groleo and Ser Barristan re- j turned from their inspection of thq galleys.

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

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

“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

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

Philippa's cousin, Captain Andrew Larpent, R.E., was looking out of the window with that air of unemployment that touches the conscience of a host like a spur.

From In Mr. Knox's Country by Martin Ross

In a statement to the Northern Ireland assembly, Givan said it was nearly 20 years since the RE syllabus had been revised.

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

But Givan said that the RE syllabus would be reformed and he set out how that will happen in a statement to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

He has appointed a new panel to review the syllabus, which means the four main Christian churches will not be solely responsible for deciding what is taught in RE.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

RE SUS' CI TATE, revive; bring to life.

From Sanders' Union Fourth Reader by Charles W. Sanders

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

Instead of plopping us into an eternity in media res, Freyne introduces something novel to this process: a choice.

From Salon ● Nov. 27, 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

So far from this being demanded, Greek subjects were evidently preferred by the public— “Omnes res gestas Athenis esse autumant, Quo vobis illud Græcum videatur magis362.”

From History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Volume I by John Dunlop

Related Words

• depend on
• rest on