Re

UK: 'RE': /ˌɑːrˈiː/; 're': /ˈriː/

US: /reɪ/

US: (Mus. rā; Bus., Law rā, rē)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Re / reɪ/ noun

1. another name for Ra2

Re symbol:chemical

1. rhenium

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re¹ /reɪ/   n. [countable]

1. Music and Dance the musical syllable used for the second tone in the ascending scale, after do.

re² /ri, reɪ/   prep. 

1. Business with reference to;
   regarding:
   Re your question, the answer is as follows.

're /ɚ/  

1. Pronouns contraction of
   are: They're leaving.

re-, prefix. 

1. • re- comes from Latin, and is attached to roots and sometimes words to form verbs and nouns meaning or referring to action in a backward direction:
     re- + -cede- → recede (= fall back);
     re- + -vert- → revert (= turn back).
   • re- is also used to form verbs or nouns showing action in answer to or intended to undo or reverse a situation:
     rebel;
     respond;
     restore;
     revoke.
   • re- is also used to form verbs or nouns showing action that is done over, often with the meaning that the outcome of the original action was in some way not enough or not long lasting, or that the performance of the new action brings back an earlier state of affairs:
     recapture;
     repossess;
     resole (= put another sole on a shoe);
     retype.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re¹  (rā), n. [Music.]

1. Music and Dance the syllable used for the second tone of a diatonic scale.
2. Music and Dance (in the fixed system of solmization) the tone D. Cf. sol-fa (def. 1).

• 1400–50; late Middle English; see gamut

re²  (rē, rā), prep. [Chiefly Law and Com.]

1. Business, Law in the case of;
   with reference to;
   in re.

• Latin rē (in the) matter, affair, thing (ablative of rēs)
• 1700–10

're  (ər), 

1. Pronouns contraction of
   are: They're leaving.

Usage

See contraction. 

Re  (rā), n. [Egyptian Religion.]

1. Chemistry, Eastern Religions Ra.

Re, [Symbol, Chem.]

1. rhenium.

re-, 

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;
   retype;
   retrace;
   revert.

Also, red-. 

• Latin re-, red-
• Middle English

Re., 

1. Currency rupee.

Also, re. 
R/E, 

1. Business real estate.

Also, RE 
R.E., 

1. Business real estate.
2. Religion Reformed Episcopal.
3. Right Excellent.

r.e., [Football.]

1. right end.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

RE abbreviation

1. Reformed Episcopal
2. Royal Engineers

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

re / reɪ riː/ noun

1. a variant spelling of ray3

re / riː/ preposition

1. with reference to

Etymology: 18th Century: from Latin rē, ablative case of rēs thingUSAGE
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

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Ra symbol:chemical

1. radium

Ra / rɑː/, Re noun

1. the ancient Egyptian sun god, depicted as a man with a hawk's head surmounted by a solar disc and serpent

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

re- prefix

1. indicating return to a previous condition, restoration, withdrawal, etc: rebuild, renew, retrace, reunite
2. indicating repetition of an action: recopy, remarry

Etymology: from LatinVerbs 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)