gooseflesh

Columbia Encyclopedia: gooseflesh

gooseflesh, temporary rumpling of the skin into tiny bumps, also called goose bumps and goose pimples, and technically known as cutis ansirina. In response to cold or certain emotional states, such as fear or rage, the smooth muscles of the subsurface layer (dermis) of skin tend to contract, causing the skin to pucker and body hair to stand erect. In furred animals this can serve a dual purpose. Erection of the fur may make an animal seem larger than it actually is and act to frighten away a potential aggressor. Second, the erect fur traps a blanket of air close to the skin thus providing the organism with additional insulation against loss of body heat. In humans, this response would seem to be vestigial.

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WordNet: gooseflesh

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

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: reflex erection of hairs of the skin in response to cold or emotional stress or skin irritation
Synonyms: pilomotor reflex, goose bump, goose pimple, goose skin, horripilation

Translations: Gooseflesh

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - gåsehud

Français (French)
n. - chair de poule

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gänsehaut

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ανατρίχιασμα

Italiano (Italian)
pelle d'oca

Português (Portuguese)
n. - pele (f) arrepiada

Русский (Russian)
гусиная кожа

Español (Spanish)
n. - carne de gallina

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - gåshud

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
小疙瘩, 鸡皮疙瘩

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 小疙瘩, 雞皮疙瘩

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 닭살

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 鳥肌

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮סמירת שער (בידיים/רגליים), "עור ברווז", צמרמורת‬

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		Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more
		WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more
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