Word of the Day: Smatter

Smatter
-verb

Pronunciation:
-smat-er

Definition:
1. to speak (a language, words, etc.) with superficial knowledge or understanding.
2. to dabble in.

Etymology:
early 15c., "talk idly, chatter," perhaps imitative. Similar forms are found in M.H.G. smetern "to chatter" and Swed. smattra "to patter, rattle." Smatterer "one who has superficial knowledge" is attested from 1510s.

Quote with the word:
"For though to smatter ends of Greek Or Latin be the rhetoric Of pedants counted, and vain-glorious, To smatter French is meritorious.
- Samuel Butler (doesn't specify whether it is the 17th c. poet or the 19th c. novelist...)

NIce!

I love this word, and I've actually used it a few times, though I can't recall when was the last occasion. I tend to use it as "Smattering" as in;

"She had a smattering of skills on the dancefloor"

Bravo Jordan.

I think I've used it like "smatter of paint." Maybe that should be "splatter." : D No! Smatter and splatter are totally different.

-Sibs

Hellon, don't be surprised that it rolled off your tongue so well. You've got a huge background in Germanic language! :)

I think I smatter between 10 and 15 languages...something like that. Hahaha.

Wait so next time my friend's boyfriend is pretending to be a pedant, how do I use this word "smatter" to degrade him?

Help please.

Oh crap. Like Sibs, I've used it uniquely. "A smattering of moles upon his back" or something to that effect. Makes sense, right. Splatter, scatter, smatter. Little bits across an expanse.

Jane: "Pedant try-hard, oh please. Don't smatter yourself."

In the redneck language it means what is the matter

Someone yells help innuendos, us hillbillys say "smatter?"

Is smatterer a noun? A real one? I have the perfect condescending comment to make. Thank you WOTD for helping me tame overfed egos.

You could certainly make it into a noun. It works.

Officially, though, I think not.