What does the prefix re- mean?
Re- has two main meanings. The first is to do something again, a second time. The second is to go back to a place or to an earlier state. The central idea is always "again" or "back".
ESEN
Prefix · repetition / reversal
re-
Signals doing something again or returning to a previous state: redo, return, reopen.
Basic
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
When re- is not a real prefix
Careful: not every word that starts with re- means "to do again". Some, like receive, relate or respond, carry a re- that comes from Latin and no longer feels like a separate prefix. If you take re- off, what is left makes no sense by itself. To avoid mistakes, ask yourself whether the word without re- exists and means something similar.
How it is used
Attach directly before the verb with no spelling change:
- re- + action verbdo → redowrite → rewriteopen → reopenbuild → rebuild
- re- + movement/state verbturn → returncover → recoverstore → restore
Written solid in modern English (no hyphen) in most cases. A hyphen is used when the combined form might be confused with another word: re-cover (cover again) vs recover (get better).
How it is pronounced
re-/riː/ or /rɪ/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With re-
In a phrase
- doredoHe had to redo the report from scratch.
- turnreturnShe decided to return the jacket to the store.
- writerewriteThe editor asked her to rewrite the intro.
- buildrebuildThe community raised funds to rebuild the library.
- viewreviewPlease review the contract before you sign.
- connectreconnectShe finally reconnected with her old friends.
- openreopenThe restaurant plans to reopen next month.
Common mistakes
receive = receive something again
receive has no active re- prefix
Receive, relate, remain, respond are Latin words where re- is part of the original root, not an active prefix meaning "again."
re-do (hyphen) is always preferred
redo (no hyphen) is the modern standard
Use a hyphen only when the combined form would be confused with another word: re-cover vs recover. Otherwise, write solid.
A trick to remember it
When you see re- before a verb you already know, try "again": reopen = open again, rewrite = write again. This works for the vast majority of re- words. The exception is Latin words like receive and relate where re- is fixed to the root.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
After the flood, the town had to ___ the damaged community center from scratch.
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
Which word does NOT use re- as an active "again" prefix?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix re- mean in English?
The prefix re- signals doing something again or returning to a previous state: redo, return, reopen.
How do you pronounce re-?
The prefix re- is pronounced /riː/ or /rɪ/. For example, "redo".
Can you give an example of a word with re-?
"do" becomes "redo". It is a typical example of the re- prefix.
Other useful prefixes
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un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.