How to pronounce altercation
American English pronunciation
awl-ter-KAY-shun
- IPA
- /ˌɔltɚˈkeɪʃən/
- Syllables
- awl · ter · KAY · shun (4 syllables, stress on the 3rd)
Love words? Try a free round: no sign-up, about two minutes. Play free
What altercation means
A noisy, angry argument, often in front of others
In a sentence: Two shoppers had a loud altercation over the last parking spot.
Where it comes from: It comes from a Latin word meaning a heated quarrel.
Can you spot the real meaning? Try one
Loading a word…
Compare: altercation and squabble
A squabble is a noisy argument over something small, while an altercation is a loud, heated argument, often in public.
See also: squabble
Can you spot the real meaning? Play Wordfib
One free round, no sign-up. Wordfib shows a word and four meanings: one real, three fibs.