拉丁前缀re-的前身是拉丁文中一个不能独立使用的品词。它的基本意思是back，由此又引申出again, against等意思。大约13世纪起，re-出现在通过法语进人英语的大量拉丁借词中。 原生词缀re-有一个异体red-，它只与以元音字母或h开头的拉丁词根相结合。自17世纪起，re-成为英语中的一个活性派生前缀，其意思主要为again。它几乎可以与任何英语动词相缀合。应注意，原生前缀re-轻读/ri/，派生前缀re-重读/ri:/；此外， re-充当派生词缀用时，有时需带连字符。

先介绍原生词缀re-与词根结合的各种情况。

rebel [ re- = against 反对；bel = to wage war 开战=>“to wage war against 与…作战→]v. fight or resist against law or authority 造反；反抗 / The harassed soldiers decided to rebel. 饱受折磨的士兵决定造反。 rebellion n. 造反；叛乱

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. 当你坐车前进时，房屋和树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；退缩的；逆行的

reduce [ re- = back 后；due = to lead 引；-e=>“to lead back 引导向后退”→]v. ① bring to a lower condition 使降级 / The officer was reduced in the ranks. 那军官被降级。② make less or smaller; decrease 减少；缩小；降低 / She is trying to reduce her weight. 她正设法减肥。

reduction n. 减少；减小；缩减；降级