scattered
[ skat-erd ]
/ ˈskæt ərd /
adjective
distributed or occurring at widely spaced and usually irregular intervals: scattered villages; scattered showers.
dispersed; disorganized: scattered forces.
distracted or disorganized: scattered thoughts.
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OTHER WORDS FROM scattered
scat·tered·ly, adverbscat·tered·ness, nounun·scat·tered, adjectivewell-scat·tered, adjectiveWords nearby scattered
Definition for scattered (2 of 2)
scatter
[ skat-er ]
/ ˈskæt ər /
verb (used with object)
to throw loosely about; distribute at irregular intervals: to scatter seeds.
to separate and drive off in various directions; disperse: to scatter a crowd.
Physics.
- to refract or diffract (light or other electromagnetic radiation) irregularly so as to diffuse in many directions.
- (of a medium) to diffuse or deflect (light or other wave phenomena) by collisions between the wave and particles of the medium.
verb (used without object)
to separate and disperse; go in different directions.
noun
the act of scattering.
something that is scattered.
Origin of scatter
1125–75; Middle English scatere; compare Dutch schateren to burst out laughing
SYNONYMS FOR scatter
2 Scatter, dispel, disperse, dissipate imply separating and driving something away so that its original form disappears. To scatter is to separate something tangible into parts at random, and drive these in different directions: The wind scattered leaves all over the lawn. To dispel is to drive away or scatter usually intangible things so that they vanish or cease to exist: Photographs of the race dispelled all doubts as to which horse won. To disperse is usually to cause a compact or organized tangible body to separate or scatter in different directions, to be reassembled if desired: Tear gas dispersed the mob. To dissipate is usually to scatter by dissolving or reducing to small atoms or parts that cannot be brought together again: He dissipated his money and his energy in useless activities.
OTHER WORDS FROM scatter
scat·ter·a·ble, adjectivescat·ter·er, nounscat·ter·ing·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for scattered
British Dictionary definitions for scattered
scatter
/ (ˈskætə) /
verb
(tr) to throw about in various directions; strew
to separate and move or cause to separate and move in various directions; disperse
to deviate or cause to deviate in many directions, as in the diffuse reflection or refraction of light
noun
the act of scattering
a substance or a number of objects scattered about
Derived forms of scatter
scatterable, adjectivescatterer, nounWord Origin for scatter
C13: probably a variant of shatter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for scattered
scatter
[ skăt′ər ]
v.
To cause to separate and go in different directions.
To separate and go in different directions; disperse.
To deflect radiation or particles.
n.
The act of scattering or the condition of being scattered.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.