frisson
Americannoun
plural
frissonsnoun
Etymology
Origin of frisson
First recorded in 1770–80; from French: “shiver, shudder,” Old French friçons (plural), from Late Latin frictiōnem, accusative of frictiō “shiver” (taken as derivative of frīgēre “to be cold”), from Latin: “massage, friction”; friction
Explanation
A frisson is a thrilling shiver. Some people love roller coasters so much that they feel a frisson of excitement just looking at one. You're just as likely to feel a frisson whether you're scared or excited; its meaning lies directly between thrill and fear. When you hear a scary sound in the basement late at night, and open the door to investigate, you might feel a frisson of fear as you start to descend the steps. The Latin root is frigere, "to be cold," and while a frisson is certainly shivery, its source is a thrill rather than a chill.
Vocabulary lists containing frisson
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The frisson of authenticity is enhanced by paleo-sculptor Gary Staab’s spectacular models, complemented by Beth Zaiken’s murals.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2025
But then, they also take us to the dark side, the frisson and the sense of being on the edge of tragedy.
From Salon • Oct. 24, 2024
“It’s going to add a frisson of excitement to the morning hikes.”
From BBC • May 23, 2024
Bold new films by Ali Abbasi, Coralie Fargeat and David Cronenberg bring bodily horror to cinema’s front lines, creating unexpected frisson for many attendees.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2024
There was, first, a reception in the parlor, animated with the same frisson of excitement that accompanies the tumbling of acrobats in high spaces.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
