English Meaning & Definitions
To unexpectedly experience or be faced with something, typically a difficulty or a person.
- “We encountered several problems during the initial phase of the project.”
- “I encountered an old friend while walking through the park yesterday.”
An unexpected or casual meeting with someone or something.
- “The close encounter with the bear left the hikers shaken.”
- “Their first encounter was brief but left a lasting impression on him.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “encounter”.
Derived from the Old French 'encontrer', which combines the prefix 'en-' (in) and 'contre' (against), ultimately tracing back to the Latin 'contra'. It originally meant to meet someone in opposition or conflict, though the meaning later broadened to include any meeting, whether planned or accidental.
Think of 'en-counter' as meeting someone 'at the counter' of a store.
Frequently Asked Questions About “encounter”
1. What is the meaning of “encounter” in English?
In English, encounter (verb) is defined as: “To unexpectedly experience or be faced with something, typically a difficulty or a person.”.
2. How do you use “encounter” in a sentence?
“We encountered several problems during the initial phase of the project.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “encounter”?
Derived from the Old French 'encontrer', which combines the prefix 'en-' (in) and 'contre' (against), ultimately tracing back to the Latin 'contra'. It originally meant to meet someone in opposition or conflict, though the meaning later broadened to include any meeting, whether planned or accidental.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.