frisson

n., pl., -sons (-sōNz', -sōN').
A moment of intense excitement; a shudder: The story's ending arouses a frisson of terror.

[French, from Old French fricons, pl. of fricon, a trembling, from Vulgar Latin *frīctiō, *frīctiōn-, from Latin frīgēre, to be cold.]

(free-SON)

noun
A sudden, brief moment of excitement or fear; thrill, shudder.

Etymology
From French frisson (shiver), from Old French friçon, from Late Latin friction-, from Latin frictio (friction), from Latin frigere (to be cold)

Usage
"I get to find small but interesting differences related to communication in Japan and the United States that still give me a pleasurable frisson of surprise." — Kate Elwood; Surprising Differences; The Daily Yomiuri (Tokyo, Japan); Jan 24, 2005.

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shudder, thrill

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: an almost pleasurable sensation of fright
  Synonyms: shiver, chill, quiver, shudder, thrill, tingle

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - vellystig gysen, kuldegysning

Nederlands (Dutch)
kick, huivering

Français (French)
n. - frisson

Deutsch (German)
n. - Schauer

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ρίγος

Italiano (Italian)
brivido

Português (Portuguese)
n. - frisson (m) (gír.)

Русский (Russian)
дрожь (от предвкушаемого удовольствия)

Español (Spanish)
n. - emoción, estremecimiento

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - rysning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
震颤, 战栗

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 震顫, 戰慄

한국어 (Korean)
n. - (프랑스) 공포, 전율

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - わくわくすること, スリル, 身震い

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) انفعال شديد‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮רטט, ריגוש‬

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