smattering

American  

[smat-er-ing] / ˈsmæt ər ɪŋ /

noun

1. a slight, superficial, or introductory knowledge of something.

   a smattering of Latin.

2. a small amount or number.

   She’s written a smattering of poetry.

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adjective

1. slight or superficial.

smattering British  

/ ˈsmætərɪŋ /

noun

1. a slight or superficial knowledge

2. a small amount

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Other Word Forms

• smatteringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of smattering

First recorded in 1530–40; smatter + -ing ¹ ( def. ).

Example Sentences

Even the Sweet 16—usually populated by a smattering of mid-major underdogs—was made up exclusively of schools from power conferences.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

The 66,000-capacity ground had only a few hundred spectators but a smattering of Italian fans turned up to cheer on their team's debut.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

Staff economists and a smattering of Fed governors and bank presidents mentioned a “dangerous virus in China,” as San Francisco Fed chief Mary Daly put it.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 17, 2026

I hear a cello, and soon musician David Low stands before me, recounting the day the flames began and the rush to remove his young son from school to help rescue a smattering of heirlooms.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

The saw glanced off metal, sending up a smattering of sparks.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

Related Words

• modicum
• smidgen