encounter

== English == === 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”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪnˈkaʊntə/, /ɪŋˈkaʊntə/ (General American) IPA(key): /ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/, /ɪŋˈkaʊntɚ/ Rhymes: -aʊntə(ɹ) Hyphenation: en‧coun‧ter === Verb === encounter (third-person singular simple present encounters, present participle encountering, simple past and past participle encountered) (transitive) To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly. Synonym: cross paths (transitive) To confront (someone or something) face to face. (intransitive, rare) To meet one another. (intransitive) To engage in conflict, as with an enemy. (transitive, euphemistic, India) To kill or execute someone extrajudicially. ==== Alternative forms ==== encountre, incountre, incounter (all obsolete) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === encounter (plural encounters) A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected. A hostile, often violent meeting; a confrontation, skirmish, or clash, as between combatants. (sports) A match between two opposing sides. (sexuality) A sexual encounter; sexual activity, especially unplanned or unexpected, between two people who have not already established a sexual relationship with each other. In many cases, it does not lead to a relationship, and thus is utterly transient. A sexual encounter can be consensual or non-consensual; in the latter case, it is known as sexual assault. A consensual sexual encounter that happens only once is commonly known as a one-night stand. (sciences) The period of a space mission during which it carries out its data-gathering objectives. (India) An extrajudicial killing or execution. ==== Synonyms ==== (hostile meeting): clash, confrontation, brush, skirmish ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === encountre