encounter
[en-koun-ter]
- to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly: to encounter a new situation.
- to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.): We encounter so many problems in our work.
- to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict: We will encounter the enemy at dawn.
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- to meet, especially unexpectedly or in conflict: We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.
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- a meeting with a person or thing, especially a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting: Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.
- a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition; combat; battle: Another such encounter and we may lose the war.
- 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, especially as a form of therapy (encounter therapy).
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Origin of encounter
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
interview, confrontation, rendezvous, violence, combat, clash, contest, run-in, battle, skirmish, bout, dispute, action, conflict, quarrel, detect, confront, experience, face, bearExamples from the Web for encounter
Contemporary Examples
This is heartfelt music, and after a first encounter you will find yourself coming back for more.
Outside of that one encounter, however, Moses is pretty meek.
What if healthy sexuality was the framework that young adults used to process every sexual message that they encounter?
Often, the most common opportunity for police officers to encounter a sovereign citizen is during a traffic stop.
On the second planet, they encounter a marooned astronaut named Dr. Mann, and a fistfight ensues.
Neil deGrasse Tyson Breaks Down ‘Interstellar’: Black Holes, Time Dilations, and Massive WavesMarlow Stern
November 11, 2014
Historical Examples
Had the encounter been anticipated his composure would perhaps have failed him.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
As a last rally, he tried to picture the difficulties he might encounter.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
If you go towards the harbour, you'll most likely encounter your brother.
By this time several persons had hurried to the scene of the encounter.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton CampusJessie Graham Flower
Chicago Red grinned with cheerful acceptance of the issue in such an encounter.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
encounter
- to come upon or meet casually or unexpectedly
- to come into conflict with (an enemy, army, etc) in battle or contest
- (tr) to be faced with; contend withhe encounters many obstacles in his work
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- a meeting with a person or thing, esp when casual or unexpected
- a hostile meeting; contest or conflict
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French encontrer, from Vulgar Latin incontrāre (unattested), from Latin in- ² + contrā against, opposite
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for encounter
n.
c.1300, "meeting of adversaries, confrontation," from Old French encontre "meeting; fight; opportunity," noun use of preposition/adverb encontre "against, counter to" from Late Latin incontra "in front of," from Latin in- "in" (see in- (2)) + contra "against" (see contra). Modern use of the word in psychology is from 1967, from the work of U.S. psychologist Carl Rogers (1902-1987). Encounter group attested from 1967.
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v.
c.1300, "to meet as an adversary," from Old French encontrer "confront," from encontre (see encounter (n.). Weakened sense of "casually meet" first recorded in English early 16c. Related: Encountered; encountering.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper