encounter
To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
Verb 4 meanings
To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
To confront (someone or something) face to face.
To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.
“Three armies encountered at Waterloo.”
To kill or execute someone extrajudicially.
Noun 3 meanings
A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected.
“Their encounter was a matter of chance.”
A hostile, often violent meeting; a confrontation, skirmish, or clash, as between combatants.
A match between two opposing sides.
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”).
Similar and opposite words
ENCOUNTER at a glance
ENCOUNTER has 9 letters and scores 11 points in Scrabble (E 1 + N 1 + C 3 + O 1 + U 1 + N 1 + T 1 + E 1 + R 1) and 15 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #4,511 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with encounter
All rhymes- AFTER8
- BETTER8
- WATER8
- LATER5
- MATTER8
- CENTER8
- CHARACTER16
- DAUGHTER13
- MINISTER10
- COMPUTER14
- LETTER6
- SISTER6
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