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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

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

From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025

“Who re you?” said Ron, staring at her.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling

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 on our own,” said Tendai as he led Rita and Kuda up the steps to the bus stop.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

Jain brought Shamieh to Berkshire’s reinsurance arm, Gen Re, in 2018.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

In the early 2000s, Shamieh helped reinsurer Munich Re contend with a crippling ratings downgrade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

Analysts praised Gen Re for growing premiums and its financial cushion over five years, resisting the temptation to add new business at the expense of profits.

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

Ogion the Silent had come home late to Re Albi from his autumn wanderings.

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

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

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2018

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 Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

R.J., as he chose to identify himself, grew up in Canarsie in Brooklyn; R.E., who came to Rikers three years ago at the age of 17, was from the South Bronx.

From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 2021

“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

People struggled to find enough parking at the old water tower on Northwest 2nd Street by R.E.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 11, 2018

"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

Tyler, R.E., and Mr. Ravenhill, on September 21st, and on the 22nd was adjourned sine die. 

From Norfolk Annals A Chronological Record of Remarkable Events in the Nineteeth Century, Vol. 2 by Mackie, Charles

But the RE syllabus will change to include other main religions and philosophical traditions, Paul Givan added.

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 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

Northern Ireland Humanists said that meant there was currently no explicit right for teachers in integrated or Catholic maintained schools to withdraw from providing RE or taking part in collective worship.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

Key of B♭, three-quarter measure: First measure, DO a quarter note, RE a quarter, and MI a quarter.

From Music Notation and Terminology by Gehrkens, Karl Wilson

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

Together, we filled in the backstory for a monster movie that would begin in media res, offering no answers of its own.

From Salon ● Apr. 12, 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

Like many dramas, Citt and Bumpkin begins in medias res and draws the reader immediately into the action.

From Citt and Bumpkin (1680) by L'Estrange, Sir Roger

Related Words

• depend on
• rest on