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smat·ter·ing

(smătər-ĭng)

1. A superficial knowledge of something, especially a language: I picked up a smattering of German while on vacation in Germany.

2. A small, scattered amount or number: a smattering of raindrops.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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