Marksmen or sharpshooters, often military personnel, who are trained to shoot from hidden positions at long distances with high precision.
From 'snipe,' a wading bird known for being difficult to shoot due to its evasive movements. The term was applied to soldiers who hunted snipe in 18th century India, then evolved to mean any skilled long-distance shooter.
The original 'snipe hunt' wasn't about snipers at all—it was a real hunting practice in colonial India that required incredible patience and skill. When soldiers adopted the term for military sharpshooters, it stuck because both require the same deadly combination of stealth, waiting, and precision.
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