scattered
UK: ˈskætəd | US: ˈskætərd
adj. 1. Spread out over a wide area; not concentrated.
adj. 2. Occurring or found at intervals or in various places rather than all together.
adj. 3. Disorganized or distracted in thought or action.
The word "scattered" originates from the Middle English "scateren," derived from Old Norse "skatra" (to disperse). The root "scatt-" implies spreading or separating, while the suffix "-er" often forms verbs, and "-ed" turns it into a past participle adjective. Over time, "scattered" evolved to describe things physically spread out or mentally disorganized, retaining its core idea of fragmentation.
The scattered leaves covered the entire yard after the storm.
Her notes were scattered across the desk, making it hard to find anything.
He gave a scattered reply, clearly distracted by his thoughts.
The village consisted of scattered houses along the hillside.
The team’s performance was scattered, lacking coordination.