What does "re" mean?
A syllable used in solfège to represent the second note of a major scale.
Re
/ɹiː/ name, noun, prep, symbol, slang
name, noun, prep, symbol, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A syllable used in solfège to represent the second note of a major scale.
- Grammar: re is listed as name, noun, prep, symbol, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: about, about plants, afisr, against.
- Useful contrasts: de-.
- Usage evidence: You'd better brush up on your English if you 're going to go to America.
How to use "re"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "re" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "re" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "re" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "re" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "re" is acting as name, noun, prep, symbol, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "about" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "re", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A syllable used in solfège to represent the second note of a major scale. uncountable
- 2 Clipping of rematch. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, slang
"gg, no re'"
- 3 Abbreviation of recursively enumerable; the class of decision problems for which a 'yes' answer can be verified by a Turing machine in a finite amount of time. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountable
- 4 the syllable naming the second (supertonic) note of any major scale in solmization wordnet
- 5 Clipping of reinsurance, used in the branding of reinsurance company names. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 Abbreviation of religious education. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountable
- 7 a rare heavy polyvalent metallic element that resembles manganese chemically and is used in some alloys; is obtained as a by-product in refining molybdenum wordnet
- 8 Clipping of age regressor. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal
- 9 Abbreviation of rare earth. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountable
- 10 Initialism of response element. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, initialism, uncountable
- 11 Abbreviation of real estate. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountable
- 12 Abbreviation of renewable energy. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountable
- 13 Abbreviation of run-time environment. abbreviation, alt-of, countable
- 14 Abbreviation of reverse engineering. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, uncountable
Preposition
- 1 About, regarding, with reference to; especially in letters, documents, emails and case law.
"Re A (conjoined twins) [2000] EWCA Civ 254"
- 2 Regarding, re.
Symbol
- 1 rupee
- 2 Earth radius: the radius of planet Earth, regarded as a unit of measurement.
- 3 The radius of the Earth specifically.
Proper Noun
- 1 Alternative form of Ra. Egyptian, alt-of, alternative
- 2 Reinsurance.
"Swiss Re"
- 3 A municipality of Vestfold, Norway.
- 4 Initialism of Royal Engineers, a regiment in the British Army. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 5 The station code of Rewari Junction railway station in India.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Abbreviation of Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. abbreviation, alt-of
Antonyms
de-
Example
"You'd better brush up on your English if you 're going to go to America."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "re"?
Common synonyms include: about, about plants, afisr, against, anent, apropos.
How do you use "re" in a sentence?
You'd better brush up on your English if you 're going to go to America.
How do you pronounce "re"?
Pronounced /ɹiː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Latin rē, ablative of rēs (“thing, matter, topic”).
Etymology 2
From Glover's solmization, from Middle English re (“second degree or note of Guido of Arezzo's hexachordal scales”), Italian re in the solmization of Guido of Arezzo, from the first syllable of Latin resonāre (“made to resound”) in the lyrics of the scale-ascending hymn Ut queant laxis by Paulus Deacon.
Etymology 3
From the prefix re-.
Etymology 4
Meaning borrowed from Egyptian r:a-ra (rꜥ, “sun, Ra”), with the form of the word borrowed from Coptic ⲣⲏ (rē, “sun”).
Etymology 5
Clipping of reinsurance.
More for "re"
Related Topic Clusters
Resume and Career Words
Action-focused vocabulary for resumes, interviews, and promotion narratives.
Customer Support and Service Language
Empathetic and precise wording for support replies, escalations, and resolution updates.
Slang and Modern Internet Language
Current social vocabulary with context, tone guidance, and formal alternatives.