re-

Forms

re-^[1] Before vowels and h it appears as red- (redeō, redhibeō), on the model of prōd- beside prō-.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is probably inherited from Proto-Italic *wre (“back”),^[3][1] whose origin the OLD and Wiktionary call uncertain;^[2][1] de Vaan, following Klingenschmitt, traces it to Proto-Indo-European *u̯re (“back”); he calls this the only acceptable etymology proposed so far,^[3] and the TLL also finds it probable.^[4] The form ⟨red-⟩ was made on the analogy of prōd- beside prō-, and spread by a new division of verbs such as reddō, from earlier *re-di-dō.^[3][4]

Cognate with Umbrian re- (“again”) (in ⟨restatu⟩, ⟨revestu⟩) and Albanian rrë- (“back”).^[3] The TLL also compares Ancient Greek ἔρρε (érrhe, “go away!”) and Tocharian B wrattsai (“against”).^[4]

Semantic evolution

As a verbal prefix it marks movement back or in reverse, withdrawal, the undoing of an earlier process, restoration, response or opposition, separation, and repetition.^[2] The sense “again” is the one later languages took over most freely: English re- was taken from Old French re- and directly from Latin from about 1200.^[5]

Meanings

Prefix

1. Back, backwards, in reverse (redeō, revocō).^[2][1]
2. Away, aside, of withdrawal or holding back (recondō, reticeō).^[2]
3. Undoing an earlier process, like English un- (resolvō, retegō).^[2][1]
4. Back to an earlier state, of restoration (renovō).^[2]
5. In answer or opposition (respondeō, rebellō).^[2]
6. Apart, of separation (removeō).^[2]
7. Again, of repeated action (repetō).^[2][1]

Word family

• redeō
• reddō
• revocō
• recondō
• reticeō
• resolvō
• renovō
• rebellō
• respondeō
• removeō
• repetō
• reagō
• repausō

Related words

• retrō
• English re-

Usage notes

In verbs with a reduplicated perfect the prefix leads to syncope: reddō for *redidō, repperī for *repeperī.^[2]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com