A scattering is a small number of things or people, sitting far apart over a large space. You look at a hill and see a scattering of trees — not a wood, just a few, with a lot of empty ground between them. A scattering of applause is a few people clapping, not a full room. The word quietly tells you “not many,” and also “not bunched together.” It is a calm, slightly bookish noun; you will see it in stories and reports more than in very casual chat. Though actually, in science you will also meet scattering for light or tiny bits bouncing off and spreading — same picture, used as a technical name. In ordinary English, though, this is the small-spread noun: a few, over a wide area.