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marriage encounter

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noun
  1. See under encounter(def 7).
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Origin of marriage encounter

First recorded in 1970–75

encounter

[en-koun-ter]
verb (used with object)
  1. to come upon or meet with, especially 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.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to meet, especially unexpectedly or in conflict: We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.
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noun
  1. a meeting with a person or thing, especially a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting: Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.
  2. a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition; combat; battle: Another such encounter and we may lose the war.
  3. 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

1250–1300; Middle English encountren < Anglo-French enco(u)ntrer; Old French < Vulgar Latin *incontrāre, equivalent to in- in-1 + -contrāre, derivative of contrā against; see counter3
Related formsen·coun·ter·er, nounpre·en·coun·ter, noun, verb (used with object)re·en·coun·ter, verb, nounun·en·coun·tered, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for marriage encounter

encounter

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. (tr) to be faced with; contend withhe encounters many obstacles in his work
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noun
  1. a meeting with a person or thing, esp when casual or unexpected
  2. a hostile meeting; contest or conflict
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Derived Formsencounterer, noun

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for marriage encounter

encounter

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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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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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper