An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. To cause → electromagnetic waves or a → beam of → particles to be irregularly → deflected, → dispersed, or → reflected, or be turned aside in the process of → scattering.
   

2. The act of → scattering; something that is → scattered.

Etymology (EN): M.E. scateren, schateren “to disperse, break up, destroy;” cf. M.Du. schaderen “to scatter.”

Etymology (PE): Parâkandan “to scatter, to disperse;” Mid.Pers. parakandan “to scatter” (cf. apakandan “to throw”), from Proto-Iranian *pari-kan-, from *pari, *par- “around” (cf. Pers. pirâ-, variant par- “around, about,” from Mid.Pers. pêrâ; O.Pers. pariy “around, about,” Av. pairi “around, over,” per- “to pass over, beyond;”
cf. Skt. pari;
PIE base *per- “through, across, beyond;” cf. Gk. peri “around, about,
beyond;” L. per “through”) + *kan- “to throw, place, put” (cf. Pers. afgandan “to throw; to lay, place;” kandan “to dig; to extract;” Mid.Pers. kan-, kandan “to dig;”
O.Pers. kan- “to dig,” akaniya- “it was dug;” Av. kan- “to dig,” uskən- “to dig out;” cf. Skt. khan- “to dig,” khanati “he digs,” kha- “cavity, hollow, cave, aperture”).