Pronunciation: [ɛnkˈa͡ʊntə] (IPA) 
The word "encounter" is spelled as /ɪnˈkaʊntər/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable "en" is pronounced as "ɪn" and is followed by the stressed syllable "count" which is pronounced as "kaʊnt". The final syllable "er" is pronounced as "ər". The word refers to a meeting or an unexpected situation. Correct spelling of this word is important in written communication to avoid confusion and convey meaning accurately.
Encounter, noun:
1. A meeting or interaction between two or more individuals or groups, typically unplanned or unexpected. It often involves direct or face-to-face engagement. Encounters can occur in various contexts, such as personal relationships, social gatherings, professional settings, or chance encounters in public spaces. They can range from casual encounters, like bumping into someone on the street, to significant encounters that have a purpose or impact, such as a business negotiation or a romantic encounter.
2. A non-physical event or occurrence in which someone experiences or undergoes something, commonly referred to as an encounter with a particular situation, condition, or phenomenon. This usage of the word typically implies a challenging, unexpected or unfamiliar situation that an individual must confront, navigate, or deal with. For example, one may encounter difficulties in their career, encounter resistance in implementing a project, or encounter a language barrier in a foreign country.
Encounter, verb:
1. To come across or meet someone or something unexpectedly or by chance. This action may involve a personal meeting with another individual, a confrontation with a situation or obstacle, or a discovery of something previously unknown.
2. To engage or confront someone or something directly, intentionally, or purposefully. This action often indicates an attempt to address or resolve a situation or problem, or to gain familiarity or knowledge about something. For example, one may encounter an opponent in a debate, encounter resistance during a protest, or encounter a challenging task.
• A sudden or accidental meeting of two or more persons; a combat; a fight; a battle.
• To meet suddenly or unexpectedly; to meet in opposition or in a hostile manner; to resist and oppose; to fight.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word encounter originated from the combination of two Latin words. The first part is en-, which is a variant of the prefix in-, meaning into or on. The second part is contra, which means against or opposite. These Latin roots give the word its basic meaning of to meet or come against. Eventually, the word was adopted into Middle English as encountre, and over time, it evolved into its modern form, encounter.
