horripilation

n.
The bristling of the body hair, as from fear or cold; goose bumps.

[Late Latin horripilātiō, horripilātiōn-, from Latin horripilātus, past participle of horripilāre, to bristle with hairs : horrēre, to tremble + pilāre, to grow hair (from pilus, hair).]

horripilate hor·rip'i·late' v.

(ho-rip-uh-LAY-shuhn)

noun
The bristling of the body hair, as from fear or cold; goose bumps.

Etymology
Late Latin horripilatio, horripilation-, from Latin horripilatus, past participle of horripilare, to bristle with hairs : horrere, to tremble + pilare, to grow hair (from pilus, hair).

Usage
"The poor man frightened, terrified, alarmed, seized with a feeling of horripilation all over the body, and agitated in mind, reflects thus." — Translated By H. Kern, Saddharma-Pundarika or The Lotus of the True Law, Sacred Books of the East, Vol XXI, 1884.

"What is expressed here is an aversion that is both aesthetic and intimate, a horripilation of the sexual reflex that is perfectly captured by the word creep." — Lance Morrow & John Dickerson, Men: are they really that bad? Time, Feb 14, 1994.

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the erection of the hair of the head or body from fear or cold

IN BRIEF: n. - Reflex erection of hairs of the skin in response to cold or emotional stress or skin irritation.

Tutor's tip: This word was used in the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.