Definition of encounter noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
encounter
noun
ɪnˈkaʊntə(r) ɪnˈkaʊntər
1a meeting, especially one that is sudden, unexpected or violentencounter (with somebody/something)Three of them were killed in the subsequent encounter with the police.encounter (between A and B)The story describes the extraordinary encounter between a man and a dolphin.a chance encounterI've had a number of close encounters(= situations that could have been dangerous) with bad drivers.It was his first sexual encounter (= first experience of sex).Flaubert was her first encounter with French literature.2a sports match against a particular player or teamShe has beaten her opponent in all of their previous encounters.3(Indian English) an incident in which police shoot dead a suspected criminalThe two gangsters were later killed in a police encounter.
ɪnˈkaʊntə(r) 
ɪnˈkaʊntər 
1 a meeting, especially one that is sudden, unexpected or violentencounter (with somebody/something) Three of them were killed in the subsequent encounter with the police.encounter (between A and B) The story describes the extraordinary encounter between a man and a dolphin.a chance encounterI've had a number of close encounters (= situations that could have been dangerous) with bad drivers.It was his first sexual encounter (= first experience of sex).Flaubert was her first encounter with French literature.2 a sports match against a particular player or teamShe has beaten her opponent in all of their previous encounters.3 (Indian English) an incident in which police shoot dead a suspected criminalThe two gangsters were later killed in a police encounter.