Analytical methods of Marsh [J. Acoust. Soc. Am.33, 330–333 (1961)] and Kuo [J. Acoust. Soc. Am.36, 2135–2142 (1964)] are applied to high‐frequency acoustic wave scattering from an ocean bottom of roughness amplitude typically quite small in comparison with the acoustic wavelength of interest. The bottom surface variation in acoustic velocity is considered negligible but the bottom surface variation in density is considered appreciable and included in the model. The analytical result indicates the possibility of a new scattering effect in grazing incident directions due to correlated roughness and density variations. When there exists an identifiable dominant roughness wavenumber, the theory predicts discrete backscattering. This phenomenon was observed in an experiment reported by Roderick and Dullea (TD 7181, Naval Underwater Systems Center, 1984). When the dominant roughness wavenumber is zero, the result is that of Rayleigh’s flat boundary. When the dominant roughness wavenumber is low compared to acoustic wavenumber, the result is that of the Kirchhoff approximation.