smattering

1 of 2

noun

smat·​ter·​ing ˈsma-tə-riŋ 

1

: superficial piecemeal knowledge

… a smattering of carpentry, house painting, bricklaying …

—Alva Johnston

2

: a small scattered number or amount

a smattering of spectators

smattering

2 of 2

present participle of smatter entry 1

Synonyms of smattering

Noun

• handful
• couple
• few

Examples of smattering in a Sentence

Noun

She only knows a smattering of German.

a smattering of guests at the art exhibit

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The crowd was mostly Americans, with a smattering of Brits and European voyagers such as Belgians and French. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026

And in the sixth inning, as Cristopher Sánchez’s pitch count rose and the Philadelphia Phillies trailed, a smattering of people began to clap. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Start with a smattering of appetizers ranging from stuffed oysters to coconut shrimp to wahoo fish dip, then choose your seafood adventure. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2026

Some of this material is just a cut above cliché, a way of providing readers with a smattering of cultural reference. — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for smattering

• battering
• chattering
• clattering
• flattering
• pattering
• scattering
• shattering
• spattering
• backscattering
• unflattering

Kids Definition

smattering

noun

smat·​ter·​ing ˈsmat-ə-riŋ 

1

: a small amount of knowledge

a smattering of French

2

: a small scattered number