smattering vs apprehension

smattering and apprehension both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
smattering	Yes	No	No	No
apprehension	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, apprehension is a hypernym of smattering; that is, apprehension is a word with a broader meaning than smattering:

Other hypernyms of smattering include discernment, savvy, understanding.

smattering (noun)	apprehension (noun)
a slight or superficial understanding of a subject	the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal)
a small number or amount	the cognitive condition of someone who understands
	painful expectation
	fearful expectation or anticipation