encounter

CEFRC1

/ɪnˈkaʊntə/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To meet someone or experience something unexpectedly.

  2. 02

    noun

    A meeting or experience, often unexpected.

Examples

  • She gave me a humorous account of her encounter with him.

  • We encounter similar difficulties when we substitute rectangles for triangles in this configuration.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ɪŋˈkaʊntə/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To confront (someone or something) face to face.

  2. To meet one another.

  3. To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.

More examples

In context

  • Their encounter was a matter of chance.

  • Three armies encountered at Waterloo.

  • It fits Ioues ſonne / VVraſtle vvith Lyons, and to tugge vvith Beares, / Grapple vvith Dragons, and incounter VVhales.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

During a hike, people can unexpectedly blank a rare bird species in the forest.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

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”).