'scattershot' originates from the combination of 'scatter' and 'shot', where 'scatter' means 'to throw in various random directions' and 'shot' refers to 'a discharge of a firearm'.

'scattershot' evolved from the literal sense of 'shot' being scattered, to a metaphorical sense of being random or unfocused.

Initially, it referred to the literal scattering of shot from a firearm, but over time it evolved to describe any unfocused or random approach.