拉丁前綴re-的前身是拉丁文中一個不能獨立使用的品詞。它的基本意思是back，由此又引申出again, against等意思。大約13世紀起，re-出現(xiàn)在通過法語進人英語的大量拉丁借詞中。 原生詞綴re-有一個異體red-，它只與以元音字母或h開頭的拉丁詞根相結合。自17世紀起，re-成為英語中的一個活性派生前綴，其意思主要為again。它幾乎可以與任何英語動詞相綴合。應注意，原生前綴re-輕讀/ri/，派生前綴re-重讀/ri:/；此外， re-充當派生詞綴用時，有時需帶連字符。

先介紹原生詞綴re-與詞根結合的各種情況。

rebel [ re- = against 反對；bel = to wage war 開戰(zhàn)=>“to wage war against 與…作戰(zhàn)→]v. fight or resist against law or authority 造反；反抗 / The harassed soldiers decided to rebel. 飽受折磨的士兵決定造反。 rebellion n. 造反；叛亂

rebellious a. 造反的；反抗的，反叛的

recede [ re- = backward 回; ced = to go 走；-e→] v. go or move backward 退去；撤回 / Houses and trees seem to recede as you ride past in a car. 當你坐車前進時，房屋和樹木似乎都在向后退去。

recession n. 后退，退回；撤回 

recessive a. 后退的；退回的；退縮的；逆行的

reduce [ re- = back 后；due = to lead 引；-e=>“to lead back 引導向后退”→]v. ① bring to a lower condition 使降級 / The officer was reduced in the ranks. 那軍官被降級。② make less or smaller; decrease 減少；縮小；降低 / She is trying to reduce her weight. 她正設法減肥。

reduction n. 減少；減小；縮減；降級