frisson

Etymology

Borrowed from French frisson.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹiː.sɔ̃ː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /fɹiˈsoʊn/, /fɹiˈsõʊn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

frisson (plural frissons)

1. A sudden surge of excitement.

   I felt a frisson just as they were about to announce the winner in my category.

2. A shiver, a thrill.

   Whenever the villain's theme played in the movie I felt a sudden frisson down my back.

Anagrams

• Frisons

Etymology

From Late Latin *frīctiō, from Latin frīgeō (“to be cold”). Unrelated to the Classical Latin frictiō, whence French friction.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fʁi.sɔ̃/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

frisson m (plural frissons)

1. A shiver or thrill of fright that can be strangely pleasurable, as when reading good horror fiction.
2. An experience of intense excitement.

Further reading

• “frisson” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• frisons