Where does “sparse” come from?

sparse (Italian) comes from Italian sparso, from Latin sparsus, from Latin spargo, from Proto-Indo-European (s)pregʰ- — to scatter, to jerk.

sparse (Italian): third-person singular past historic of spargere;...

Definitions

sparse traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Italian	sparso	past participle of spargere; past participle of...
2	Latin	sparsus	scattered, strewn, sprinkled; spotted, freckled
3	Latin	spargo	I scatter, strew, sprinkle
4	Proto-Indo-European	(s)pregʰ-	to scatter, to jerk

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Italian	sparere	To disappear from sight; to vanish. See sparire
2	Italian	s-	un-, in-; de-, dis-, un-; API + bocca → sboccato
3	Latin	ēx-	out, away
4	Proto-Indo-European	eǵ-	—

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Italian	spargere	to scatter; to spill; to shed
2	Latin	spargō	to scatter, strew, sprinkle, sparkle