Scattered

Definition

Scattered primarily signifies something being dispersed or spread out over a wide area, not situated close together.

Parts of Speech

• Adjective
• Verb (Past Tense of "Scatter")

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈskætərd/
• Respelling: SKAT-urd (with "SKAT" as in "cat," and "urd" as in the ending of "blurred")

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈskætəd/
• Respelling: SKAT-uhd (with "SKAT" as in "cat," and "uhd" indicating a softer ending, similar to the 'ed' in "hunted" without a strong 'r' sound)

In both dialects, "scattered" emphasizes the first syllable, with a clear "a" sound in "SKAT." The American English version includes a more pronounced 'r' sound before the ending, while the British English pronunciation tends to drop the 'r' and ends more softly with "uhd."

Etymology

The word "scattered" derives from the Middle English word scateren or schateren, which is believed to be of Germanic origin, akin to Old English sceater meaning dispersed. It evolved into the term "scatter" in modern English, with "scattered" being its past tense and past participle form.

Derivatives

• Scatter
• Scatterable
• Scattering
• Scatterplot
• Scatterbrained

Synonyms

• Dispersed
• Spread
• Disjointed

Antonyms

• Gathered
• Collected
• Clustered

Usage

"Scattered" is often used to describe the arrangement of objects, individuals, or even abstract concepts like thoughts or events, indicating a lack of organization or cohesion.

Related Terms

• Scatter
• Disperse
• Dispersion

Detailed Definition

Adjective

• Dispersed:Being distributed or spread out over a range or area.‍
• Example: They found scattered belongings at the crash site.

• Unorganized:Being disorganized or lacking cohesion.‍
• Example: His thoughts were scattered during the interview.

Verb

• Past Tense of Scatter (Disperse):To have caused to separate and go in different directions.‍
• Example: He scattered the seeds across the field.

• Past Tense of Scatter (Disorder):To have disrupted the order or arrangement of.
• Example: The wind scattered the papers all over the place.