frisson
noun
- psychophysiological response to rewarding auditory or visual stimuli
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈfɹiː.sɔ̃ː/ / /fɹiˈsoʊn/ / /fɹiˈsõʊn/
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree French frissonbor. English frisson Borrowed from French frisson.
- A sudden surge of excitement.
“I felt a frisson just as they were about to announce the winner in my category.”
“As a perversion of freedom it was, like any perversion, erotic; as alienation it carried the frisson of having just missed the brass ring, a sensation that always brought one back for more.”
- A shiver; a thrill.
“Whenever the villain's theme played in the movie I felt a sudden frisson down my back.”
“All the Crichton books depend to a certain extent on a little frisson of fear and suspense: that’s what kept you turning the pages.”