Encounter

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -aÊŠntÉ™(r)

Alternative forms

• encountre obsolete
• incounter archaic
• incountre obsolete

Origin

circa 1297 From Anglo-Norman encountrer, Old French encontrer ("to confront"), from encontre ("against, counter to"), from Late Latin incontra ("in front of") itself from Latin in- ("in") + contra ("against").

Full definition of encounter

Verb

1. (transitive) To meet (someone) or find (something) unexpectedly.
2. (transitive) To confront (someone or something) face to face.
3. (ambitransitive) To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.Three armies encountered at Waterloo.
• ShakespeareI will encounter with Andronicus.

Noun

1. An unplanned or unexpected meeting.Their encounter was a matter of chance
• 1907, w, The Younger Set Chapter 3, That was Selwyn's first encounter with the Ruthvens. A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.
2. A hostile meeting; a confrontation or skirmish.
3. A sudden, often violent clash, as between combatants.
4. (sports) A match between two opposing sides.
• 2011, October 29, Phil McNulty, Chelsea 3 - 5 Arsenal, Andre Santos equalised and the outstanding Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead for the first time before Juan Mata's spectacular strike set up the finale for an enthralling encounter.

Synonyms

• (unplanned meeting):
• (hostile meeting): clash, confrontation, brush, skirmish

Derived terms

• close encounter
• encounter group