Frisson Definition Used in a Sentence

fris·​son | \ frē-ˈsōⁿ \

plural frissons \ frē-​ˈsōⁿ(z) \

Definition of frisson

: a brief moment of emotional excitement : shudder, thrill produce a genuine frisson of disquiet — Patricia Craig a frisson of surprise a frisson of delight

Frisson and Shiver

I feel a shiver that's not from the cold as the band and the crowd go charging through the final notes…. That frisson, that exultant moment.... That's how writer Robert W. Stock characterized the culmination of a big piece at a concert in 1982. His use of the word shiver is apt given that "frisson" comes from the French word for "shiver." "Frisson" traces to Old French friçon, which in turn derives from "frictio," Latin for friction. What does friction-normally a heat generator-have to do with thrills and chills? Nothing, actually. The association came about because "frictio" (which derives from Latin fricare, meaning "to rub") was once mistakenly taken to be a derivative of "frigēre," which means "to be cold."

Examples of frisson in a Sentence

those two are still caught up in the giddy frisson of a new romance

Recent Examples on the Web In her presence, Savage came to life as well, and there was more erotic frisson between these two than there had been between Tannhäuser and Venus. — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2021 The frisson of introducing Lois Lane in the season 4 premiere carries over for several episodes — but only this one includes the iconic scene of Martha Kent finding Clark and Lois in an compromising position in the bathroom. — Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2021 Damon has a mini-comeback with The Martian (2015), but, after nearly 20 years of low-key stardom, his diversity comments on Project Greenlight add a frisson of out-of-touch white guy to his star image. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2021 There's also the frisson of danger that lurks and is very real. — Beth Segal, cleveland, 1 Oct. 2021 But the frisson of excitement faded to devastation when Snell approached the audition table. — Lottie Jackson, CNN, 29 Sep. 2021 Considering their frisson is basically all that's keeping this show afloat, that's a curious choice. — Nina Metz, chicagotribune.com, 17 Sep. 2021 Pictures of ruins from the Soviet era have become a cliché in recent decades, but those taken by Arbugaeva conjure something other than the frisson of Ostalgie. — Brian Dillo, The New Yorker, 22 June 2021 Carpenter and Hall were also married from 2008 to 2011, so that adds a fun little frisson to the corrupt-cop-stepsibling dynamic. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 14 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'frisson.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of frisson

1777, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for frisson

French, shiver, from Old French friçon, from Late Latin friction-, frictio, from Latin, literally, friction (taken in Late Latin as derivative of frigēre to be cold)

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Cite this Entry

"Frisson." Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frisson. Accessed 9 Dec. 2021.

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Frisson Definition Used in a Sentence

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frisson

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