re-

re- [rē, ri, rə]

[< Fr or L: Fr re-, ré- < L re-, red-, back, backward] prefix

1. back, returning to a previous state [return, relapse, recall]

2. again, anew, over again [refurbish, recount, regelation]: It is used with a hyphen: 1) to distinguish between a word in which the prefix means simply “again” or “anew” and a word of similar form having a special meaning or meanings [re-collect, recollect] 2) to avoid ambiguity in the formation of nonce words [re-urge] 3) esp. previously, before elements beginning with e [re-examine, now usually reexamine]