1 a slight knowledge of something, or a small amount:
There was a smattering of boos when he was introduced.
As a whole, the book reads smoothly with clear and deliberate analyses of history, policy, data and a smattering of case studies.
It has a little of this, a smattering of that.
Most of the authors come from a political science or international relations background, although there are a smattering of economists.
Jurists and theologians received at best only a smattering of natural philosophy from their preparatory studies in the lower faculty.
Unlike previous generations, younger people tend to have a fair command of a foreign language or two, consequently a smattering of foreign words may punctuate their speech and informal writing.
Text mostly dominates figures, but these figures are clear, with a smattering of colour.
After all, these men know the farms and have picked up a smattering of the language.
I have a certain smattering of it myself.