# encounter

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪnˈkaʊntə/ · frequency rank #4,596

## Definitions
1. To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
2. To confront (someone or something) face to face.
3. To meet one another.
4. To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.
5. To kill or execute someone extrajudicially.

## 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”).

## Easily confused with
- **encountered** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/encounter-vs-encountered)

## Common misspellings (13)
`ecnounter`, `enccounter`, `enconuter`, `encounetr`, `encounnter`, `encounterr`, `encountre`, `encountter`, `encoutner`, `encuonter`, `enncounter`, `enocunter`, `necounter`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/encounter