re-examine
UK[ˌriːɪɡˈzæmɪn]US[ˌriːɪɡˈzæmɪn]
v
To examine or consider something again, especially in order to change an earlier opinion or decision.
v
(Law) To subject (a witness) to a second or further examination in court.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
examine
re
again
examine
inspect
Etymology
The word 're-examine' is a modern English compound formed by attaching the productive Latin prefix 're-' to the existing verb 'examine'. The core verb 'examine' entered English from Old French 'examiner', tracing back to Latin 'examinare', which originally meant to weigh accurately using a balance (from 'examen', the tongue of a balance). The prefix 're-', of Latin origin, is one of the most common and versatile in English, consistently conveying the sense of repetition or return. Therefore, the literal morphemic logic of "again" + "to inspect/weigh" transparently builds the modern abstract meaning of inspecting something a second time, often with the intent to reconsider or reassess a previous conclusion.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + examine (inspect)
re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "again" or "back".
examine: From Latin 'examinare' (to weigh, test, consider), derived from 'examen' (a means of weighing, a test). In this compound, it functions as the core verb meaning "to inspect or scrutinize".
Examples
The committee decided to re-examine the evidence in light of the new testimony.
After the initial failure, the engineer was asked to re-examine the design specifications.
Counsel for the defense requested permission to re-examine the witness.