encounter

UK: /ɪnˈkaʊntə^r/ US: /ɛnˈkaʊntɚ/ ,(en koun′tər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

en•coun•ter /ɛnˈkaʊntɚ/   v. [~ + object]

1. to come upon or meet with:
   She encountered an old friend on the street.
2. to meet in conflict:
   The pilots soon encountered the enemy planes.

n. [countable]

3. a meeting with a person or thing:
   a brief encounter on the street.
4. a meeting of people or groups in conflict:
   a fierce encounter with the enemy.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

en•coun•ter  (en koun′tər), v.t. 

1. to come upon or meet with, esp. unexpectedly:
   to encounter a new situation.
2. to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.):
   We encounter so many problems in our work.
3. to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict:
   We will encounter the enemy at dawn.

v.i. 

4. to meet, esp. unexpectedly or in conflict:
   We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.

n. 

5. a meeting with a person or thing, esp. a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting:
   Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.
6. a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition;
   combat;
   battle:
   Another such encounter and we may lose the war.
7. Psychology a meeting of two or more people, as the members of an encounter group or a number of married couples (marriage encounter,) conducted to promote direct emotional confrontations among the participants, esp. as a form of therapy (encoun′ter ther′apy.)

• Vulgar Latin *incontrāre, equivalent. to in- in-¹ + -contrāre, derivative of contrā against; see counter³
• Anglo-French enco(u)ntrer; Old French
• Middle English encountren 1250–1300

en•coun′ter•er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

encounter / ɪnˈkaʊntə/ verb

1. to come upon or meet casually or unexpectedly
2. to come into conflict with (an enemy, army, etc) in battle or contest
3. (transitive) to be faced with; contend with: he encounters many obstacles in his work

noun

1. a meeting with a person or thing, esp when casual or unexpected
2. a hostile meeting; contest or conflict

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French encontrer, from Vulgar Latin incontrāre (unattested), from Latin in-² + contrā against, opposite