encounter

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/ UK /ɪnˈkaʊntə/ See IPA manual

Freq #5440

Meanings

1

verb
To experience or be faced with something, especially a problem

We encountered several difficulties during the project.
2

verb
To meet someone or find something, especially unexpectedly

She encountered an old friend on the train.
3

noun
A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected

Their first encounter was a matter of chance.
4

noun
A match or contest between two opposing sides

The two teams met in a thrilling encounter on Saturday.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to meet someone or find... come acrosscross paths

Word family

Forms encounteredencounteringencounters

Derived forms encounterableencounterermisencounternonencounterre-encounterreencounterunencountered

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

encounter group
a gathering where people share feelings to improve mutual understanding

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English encountren, from Anglo-Norman encountrer, Old French encontrer (“to confront”), from encontre (“against, counter to”), from Late Latin incontrā (“in front of”) itself from Latin in (“in”) + contrā (“against”).

encountren Middle English encountrer xno encontrer Old French incontrā la-lat in Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# encounter

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈkaʊntə/
**Frequency rank:** 5440

## Meanings
1. To experience or be faced with something, especially a problem
2. To meet someone or find something, especially unexpectedly
3. A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected
4. A match or contest between two opposing sides

## Examples
- We encountered several difficulties during the project.
- She encountered an old friend on the train.
- Their first encounter was a matter of chance.
- The two teams met in a thrilling encounter on Saturday.

## Derived Forms
- encounterable
- encounterer
- misencounter
- nonencounter
- re-encounter
- reencounter
- unencountered

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: encountren
- Root: encountrer
- Root: encontrer
- Root: incontrā
- Root: in

## Etymology
From Middle English encountren, from Anglo-Norman encountrer, Old French encontrer (“to confront”), from encontre (“against, counter to”), from Late Latin incontrā (“in front of”) itself from Latin in (“in”) + contrā (“against”).

## AI Etymology
Encounter comes from Middle English encountren, from Anglo-Norman encountrer, Old French encontrer (“to confront”), from encontre (“against, counter to”), from Late Latin incontrā (“in front of”) itself from Latin in (“in”) + contrā (“against”). In current use, the main senses are “To experience or be faced with something, especially a problem” and “To meet someone or find something, especially unexpectedly”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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