smattering

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

Synonyms

• handful
• couple
• few

Examples of smattering in a Sentence

She only knows a smattering of German.

a smattering of guests at the art exhibit

Recent Examples on the Web

There are already around 10,000 Fenerbahce diehards filling the stadium with noise some 90 minutes before kick off, waving humungous flags and singing along to dodgy Euro pop, at a time when the Etihad will only just be opening its doors to a smattering of eager fans. —Tim Spiers, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025

Afterward, a smattering of boos serenaded Tatis’ walk back to the dugout. —Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025

In the smattering of photos and videos, the Magic Mike star shared a black-and-white photo of himself planting a kiss on Williams' cheek and a video of Williams jumping into a body of water. —Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025

Trump was greeted with loud cheers from people across the street and a smattering of boos inside the restaurant. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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