What Does "Re:" Mean In Business Letters?

Re: stands for regarding or in reference to. It is a formal abbreviation used in business letters to indicate that the letter is about a specific topic. Moreover, Re: can be used in the subject line of the letter or in the body of the letter.

Let’s dive in and understand the entire concept of using “Re.” in business letters.

Table of Contents

Understanding the Meaning of “Re:”

Re: is a Latin abbreviation for the phrase “in re”, which means “in the matter of”. It is used to introduce a subject or topic of discussion.

Origin

The use of Re: in business letters dates back to the early 1900s. It was originally used in typed letters to save space and time. Today, Re: is still used in both typed and electronic business correspondence.

Use of “Re:” in Business Letters

Here’s how you can use “Re.” in business letters:

As a Subject Line

Re: is most commonly used in the subject line of a business letter to indicate that the letter is a reply to a previous letter. For example, if you are replying to a letter about a job application, you would use the subject line “Re: Job Application – [Your Name]”.

Re: can also be used in the subject line of a new letter to introduce a new topic. For example, if you are writing a letter to a client to propose a new project, you could use the subject line “Re: New Project Proposal”.

To Refer to Previous Conversations

Re: can also be used in the body of a business letter to refer to a previous conversation or topic of discussion. For example, if you are writing to a client to follow up on a previous conversation about a project, you could start the letter with the sentence “Re: our previous conversation about the [Project Name] project…”

Formality in Using “Re:”

Re: is a formal abbreviation, so it should not be used in informal emails or letters. For example, you would not use Re: in an email to a friend or colleague.

Proper Placement of “Re:”

Other than understanding the use of “Re.” in business letters, you need to know how to place them as well.

Under the Salutation

When Re: is used in the body of a business letter, it should be placed under the salutation and before the body of the letter. For example:

Dear Ms. Smith,

Re: Job Application – John Doe

I am writing to follow up on my job application for the position of Software Engineer, which I submitted on [date].

…

Difference Between “Re:” and “Ref”

Re: stands for “regarding” or “in reference to”, while Ref: stands for “reference”.

Usage

Re: is used to introduce a topic or topic of discussion. For example, you might use the subject line “Re: New Project Proposal” to introduce a new project proposal to a client.

While Ref: is used to refer to a specific document or piece of information. For example, you might use the subject line “Ref: Contract Number 123456” to refer to a specific contract in an email to a vendor.

In Conclusion

When using Re:, it is important to be aware of the formality of the abbreviation and to place it correctly in the letter. Hopefully, this guide was enough to help you sort out all your doubts.