Frisson
[frē-sahn]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, late 18th century
1.
A sudden and intense feeling of excitement
2.
A shudder caused by a thrill
Examples of Frisson in a sentence
"I felt a giddy frisson when I got the big promotion."
"When the orchestra arrived at the gorgeous climax of the piece, many in the audience experienced a moment of frisson."
About Frisson
We might not know it by it's official name, but we've all experienced frisson — otherwise known as "getting the chills." It's most common when we listen to a particularly moving piece of music or see a beautiful work of art. Interestingly, the chills are often also associated with pupil dilation.
Did you Know?
Frisson doesn't just trace its origins back to French; it literally means "shiver" in French.
