Where does “re” come from?
Re comes from Latin re, a prefix meaning "again" or "back," derived from Latin res and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European reh₁ís.
re (English): About, regarding, with reference to; especially...
Definitions
- About, regarding, with reference to; especially...
Ancestry of “re”, step by step
re traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English reinsurance
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | reinsurance | Insurance purchased by insurance companies that... |
| 2 | English | re- | again, anew; a completive or intensification of... |
| 3 | Middle English | re- | — |
| 4 | Old French | re- | re- again; once more |
| 5 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 6 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 7 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via Middle English re
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | re | — |
| 2 | Italian | re | king, male monarch; king; king, magnate |
| 3 | Latin | rēx | king, ruler |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | rēks | king |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃rḗǵs | king, ruler |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃reǵ- | to straighten, to right oneself; right; just |
via Egyptian rꜥ
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egyptian | rꜥ | sun; day |