FUN WITH WORDS

WORDS THAT ARE RARELY USED IN THE SINGULAR:

trivia (singular: trivium)

paparazzi (paparazzo)

assizes (assize)

auspices (auspice)

timpani (timpano)

minutiae (minutia)

grafitti (grafitto)

scampi (scampo)

scruples (scruple)

measles (measle)

WORDS THAT ARE RARELY USED IN THE POSITIVE:

(in)advertent

(im)maculate

(in)clement

(dis)consolate

(in)delible

(un)furl

(in)sipid

(un)speakable

(un)kempt

(in)corrigible

(im)placable

(in)effable

(un)wieldy

(in)nocuous,

(im)pervious

(un)expurgated

(im)peccable

(in)evitable

WHERE’S IT FROM?

SNIPER

This goes back to the days when marksmen would hone their skills by shooting snipe (wading birds) — hence the term ‘sniper’.