res

¹ American  

[reez, reys] / riz, reɪs /

noun

Chiefly Law.

plural

res

1. an object or thing; matter.

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RES ² American  

abbreviation

Immunology.

1. reticuloendothelial system.

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res. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. research.

2. reserve.

3. residence.

4. resident; residents.

5. resigned.

6. resolution.

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res. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. residence

2. resides

3. resigned

4. resolution

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res ² British  

/ reɪs /

noun

1. a thing, matter, or object

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Etymology

Origin of res

First recorded in 1850–55, res is from the Latin word rēs

Example Sentences

We begin in medias res as the unnamed author frets about his choice to begin at chapter 13 rather than the more traditional chapter 1.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The law deems them res nullius, which literally means a thing belonging to nobody - so responsibility falls to individual landowners.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2025

Nevertheless, if you’re exhausted with voiceover exposition, you’re probably also over in medias res openers, i.e. starting with a scene from the middle of the story before flashing back to the beginning.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2025

Another time, a family friend prepared birria de res, the beef stew we have eaten our entire lives but which has become ubiquitous in Southern California only in the past seven years.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 11, 2023

Infantis fore te patrem, res mira videtur; Infans interea factus es ipse pater.

From The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume II (of 2) by Crashaw, Richard