adjective
Etymology: from past participle of scatter (I)
1.
a. : marked by disorganized dispersion : disunited
the growth of modern science from an activity of scattered individuals — John Pfeiffer
b. : marked by distraction : rambling
scattered thoughts
2.
a. : separated by or occurring at wide irregular intervals
only scattered remarks on the subject are to be found in the literature — David Abercrombie
scattered showers
: widely separated
four scattered states — Utah, Texas, Michigan, and New Jersey — Arthur Geddes
b. : irregular in position : having no fixed or definite arrangement — used of leaves or branches
3. obsolete : negligently tossed aside or dropped
loose now and then a scattered smile — Shakespeare
4. : having the parts disorganized or widely separated
a scattered story
: spread over a wide area
a scattered village
serves the scattered population in this mountain region — American Guide Series: Tennessee