The spelling of "scatter" is an interesting one to break down using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The word begins with the consonant cluster /sk/, which can be tricky to articulate for some learners. This is followed by the vowel sound /æ/, as in "cat", and the consonant /t/. Finally, the word ends with the unvoiced fricative /ər/, which is pronounced as a combination of the sounds /e/ and /r/. Phonetically, "scatter" is transcribed as /ˈskætər/, and its spelling reflects the way that it is pronounced phonetically.
Scatter is a verb that refers to the action of dispersing or throwing things in different directions or without order or organization. When something is scattered, it means it has been spread or thrown about in a random or haphazard manner.
This term can be used in various contexts. For instance, in physics, scatter refers to the phenomenon of light or other radiation being deflected or redirected as it encounters particles or other obstacles. This scattering of light can result in the diffusion or spreading out of the light in different directions.
In a different sense, scatter can describe the act of tossing or distributing objects or items in a disorderly or unplanned fashion, often to create a sense of random distribution. For example, one might scatter flower petals over the ground to create a decorative effect, or scatter seeds across a field to promote new plant growth.
Furthermore, scatter can also be used metaphorically to describe the dispersion or separation of people or things. It can imply the breaking up of a group or the spreading apart of individuals. For example, after a heated argument, friends may scatter in different directions, each going their separate ways.
Overall, scatter refers to the action of dispersing, throwing, or separating things in a random or unordered manner, applied in various contexts ranging from physics to everyday human activities.
To throw loosely about; to strew; to disperse or dissipate; to be dispersed.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "scatter" comes from the Old Norse word "skǫttr" which means "small piece" or "slice". It has cognates in other Germanic languages such as Old High German "scōzan" and Middle Dutch "schotten". Over time, the word evolved in Middle English to "scateren", which meant "to disperse" or "to separate". Eventually, it became the word "scatter" that we use today, retaining its meaning of "to throw or spread in different directions".