re
/riː/
preposition
Origin
Latin
res — thing, matter, affair
Overview
Meaning Now
- about; concerning; regarding (used especially as an introductory word in headings, memos, or correspondence).
Literal older meaning
in the matter of
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
re
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The word originates from the Latin ablative singular 'rē', the ablative case of the noun 'rēs' (thing/matter). In legal Latin, expressions like 'in rē' were used to specify the subject of a case. By the 18th century, English adopted this shorthand for administrative and legal notes.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
rē
“in the matter of (ablative case of res)”
Used in legal contexts to mean 'in the affair of'.
- 18th century English
re
“concerning”
Adopted into professional and legal English terminology.
Connections
Word parts
re
root
about/concerning
Related across languages
French
regarding (rare in this specific usage)
Explore next
Related to re
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.