| plurale tantum |
| Definition: A word or phrase that is only used in its plural form, but which could refer to a single thing. |
| Example: The words willies, suds, and scissors. |
| Etymology: In Latin the phrase means "plural only" or "plural as such." |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The phrase's first OED citation is from 1930: "The so-called ‘pluralia tantum’ (e.g. breeches, dregs)." (T. Sasaki Lang. R. Bridges' Poetry ii. iii. 57) |