Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sprinkling \Sprin"kling\, n.
   1. The act of one who, or that which, sprinkles.

            Baptism may well enough be performed by sprinkling
            or effusion of water.                 --Ayliffe.

   2. A small quantity falling in distinct drops or particles;
      as, a sprinkling of rain or snow.

   3. Hence, a moderate number or quantity distributed like
      drops. --Craik.

Sprinkle \Sprin"kle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sprinkled}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Sprinkling}.] [OE. sprenkelen, freq. of sprengen to
   sprinkle, to scatter, AS. sprengan, properly, to make to
   spring, causative of springan to spring; akin to D.
   sprenkelen to sprinkle, G. sprengen. See {Spring}, v. i., and
   cf. {Sprent}.]
   1. To scatter in small drops or particles, as water, seed,
      etc.

   2. To scatter on; to disperse something over in small drops
      or particles; to besprinkle; as, to sprinkle the earth
      with water; to sprinkle a floor with sand.

   3. To baptize by the application of a few drops, or a small
      quantity, of water; hence, to cleanse; to purify.

            Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.
                                                  --Heb. x. 22.

Source : WordNet®

sprinkling
     n 1: a small number dispersed haphazardly; "the first scatterings
          of green" [syn: {scattering}]
     2: a light shower that falls in some locations and not others
        nearby [syn: {scattering}, {sprinkle}]
     3: the act of sprinkling water in baptism (rare) [syn: {aspersion}]
     4: the act of sprinkling or splashing water; "baptized with a
        sprinkling of holy water"; "a sparge of warm water over
        the malt" [syn: {sprinkle}, {sparge}]