scattering
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a small number of things or people spread out in different places.
a small, sparse quantity or number of something distributed at random points over an area.
Simple“There was a scattering of houses along the coast, but no real town.”
In context“A light scattering of snow covered the driveway, barely enough to hide the gravel but sufficient to make the surface slippery.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
the way light, sound, or tiny particles bounce off things and spread in different directions.
the process in which a beam of waves or particles is deflected or dispersed by collisions or interactions with a medium.
Simple“The scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere is what makes the sky look blue.”
In context“The experiment measured the elastic scattering of neutrons as they passed through the thin metal foil.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun in scientific contexts.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a few votes given to people who are not the main candidates in an election.
the total number of votes awarded to minor, non-major, or unlisted candidates in an election.
Simple“The final results showed a scattering of votes for independent candidates.”
In context“Beyond the two primary contenders, there was a scattering of write-in votes that had no statistical impact on the final outcome.”
Synonymsmiscellaneous votes
“But near-infrared systems struggle when light passes through materials like deep tissue or dense fog, succumbing to the same scattering effect in which photons deviate from their path.”
“Sunlight scattering through the Martian atmosphere helped create the striking view.”