Final answer:
In the given sentence, 'altercation' is a noun. It stands for a noisy argument or disagreement, particularly one in public.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word 'altercation' in the sentence 'The man got into an altercation with the police.' is a noun. A noun is a part of speech that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'altercation' is a thing, representing a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public. It is the object of the verb 'got into', indicating what the man got into.
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