Encounter
Middle English (in the senses ‘meet as an adversary’ and ‘a meeting of adversaries’; formerly also as incounter ): from Old French encontrer (verb), encontre (noun), based on Latin in- ‘in’ + contra ‘against’.
wiktionary
From Middle English encountren, from rom 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”).
etymonline
encounter (n.)
c. 1300, "meeting of adversaries, confrontation," from Old French encontre "meeting; fight; opportunity" (12c.), noun use of preposition/adverb encontre "against, counter to" from Late Latin incontra "in front of," from Latin in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + contra "against" (see contra (prep., adv.)). Modern use of the word in psychology is from 1967, from the work of U.S. psychologist Carl Rogers. Encounter group attested from 1967.
encounter (v.)
c. 1300, "to meet as an adversary," from Old French encontrer "meet, come across; confront, fight, oppose," from encontre "a meeting; a fight; opportunity" (12c.), noun use of preposition/adverb encontre "against, counter to" from Late Latin incontra "in front of," from Latin in-"in" (from PIE root *en "in") + contra "against" (see contra). Weakened sense of "meet casually or unexpectedly" first recorded in English early 16c. Related: Encountered; encountering.
