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Frisson and Shiver
A chill down one’s spine isn’t always a sensation of fear or suspense. As Daniel Marenco writes, “What is most exciting about literature is how much it surprises us and makes us fall in love. Poetry especially has this gift, the gift of provoking in us a frisson, a shiver, this capacity, like a bee, to put honey on the tip of our tongue, provoking that pleasant sensation of feeling and perceiving.” His relating of frisson and shiver is apt given that frisson comes from the French word for “shiver.” (Those familiar with shivering will note that it’s also apt that frisson traces back to ultimately to Late Latin frīgēre “to be cold” or frīgēscere “to become cold.”) A frisson can be compared to a thrill or a rush, as it refers to a brief moment of emotional excitement, as in “a frisson of surprise.”
Synonyms
Examples of frisson in a Sentence
Cady Lang, TIME, 13 June 2024
That confirmation sent fresh frissons of excitement across the Internet, although Villeneuve had been talking about the prospect as far back as September 2021.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2024
One of the few frissons of excitement at the forum this year was the appearance for the first time of both Mr. Putin’s adult daughters on panel discussions, which have always featured a who’s who of the Russian elite.
—Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, 7 June 2024
Throwing ideas around invites a frisson of electricity to pass between you and those close to you.
—Debbie Frank, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for frisson 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'frisson.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Frisson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frisson. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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