What does frisson mean?
Frisson refers to a sudden, short-lived surge of emotion that makes itself felt physically — a shiver, tingle, or chill that sweeps over the body. It is most often associated with intense pleasure or anticipation, as when music moves a listener or curtains rise on a long-awaited performance, but it equally describes a flash of fear or dread. Borrowed into English from French in the eighteenth century, the word retains continental polish and belongs chiefly to literary, critical, and journalistic registers; one rarely hears it in casual conversation. Because frisson names a sensation rather than its cause, writers typically anchor it in a phrase such as 'a frisson of excitement' or 'a frisson of danger'. Its precision and elegance make it a favourite for describing those fleeting moments when emotion becomes something the skin can feel.
nounA sudden, brief wave of emotional excitement or thrill, often accompanied by a physical shiver or tingling, typically caused by fear, anticipation, or intense pleasure.
- A sudden passing wave of excitement, thrill, or pleasurable anticipation, sometimes with a physical shiver.
- A sudden shudder of fear, dread, or unease.
"A frisson of excitement ran through the audience as the lights dimmed."
"She felt a frisson of anticipation as she tore open the envelope."
"A frisson of unease passed through the room when the name was announced."
The plural follows the standard English pattern of adding -s; it is used when describing repeated or shared waves of the sensation.
"The trailer delivered all the frissons horror fans crave."
English speakers borrowed this word for goosebumps straight from the French in the late 18th century — importing the shiver along with the chic.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of frisson
Frisson was borrowed from French, where it denoted a shiver or trembling — historically even the shivering of fever — and entered English usage in the latter half of the eighteenth century. The French term itself descends from Latin, ultimately connected with the verb fricare ('to rub'), the same root that gives English the words friction and fricative. Over time the meaning narrowed from a physical symptom toward a primarily emotional thrill, which is how English adopted it.
How frisson is actually used
Frisson is a literary, somewhat elevated borrowing from French; it reads as sophisticated or journalistic rather than everyday. It almost always appears with a prepositional qualifier such as 'of excitement', 'of fear', or 'of pleasure', since on its own it names only the sensation's physical character. Both the anglicized spelling-pronunciation (ending in a clear n) and the more French-flavored nasal ending are heard in English.
Easily confused with frisson
Though both can end in a similar-sounding syllable, fission is the splitting of an atomic nucleus, while frisson is a sudden thrill or shiver.