scattering

/ˈskætərɪŋ/
noun
  1. A small, spread-out number or amount of things or people.
    • There was only a scattering of students in the lecture hall.
    • A scattering of early flowers appeared in the meadow.
    • The garden had a scattering of colorful pebbles along the path.
  2. The act of throwing or dropping things so they spread out over an area.
    • Wind caused the scattering of leaves all over the yard.
    • The scattering of seeds across the field was done by hand.
    • The scattering of confetti marked the end of the parade.
  3. The process by which particles or waves are forced to change direction by hitting something.
    • Physicists study the scattering of electrons to understand atomic structure.
    • The scattering of sunlight by the atmosphere makes the sky look blue.
    • Radar works by detecting the scattering of radio waves from objects.
adjective
  1. Spread out over a wide area; not concentrated.
    • Scattering clouds dotted the afternoon sky.
    • The scattering villages in the valley were connected by narrow roads.
    • The scattering population made it hard to provide public services.
What does "scattering" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean