Awesome word of the day today:
horripilation \haw-rip-uh-LAY-shuhn; ho-\, noun:
the act or process of the hair bristling on the skin, as from cold or fear; goose flesh
There are a few things capable of sending an icy horripilation through even the bravest man.
-- Who Will Provide Social Security?, Washington Times, June 11, 1996
This is not to say that the horripilation Iran's nuclear programme inspires is unjustified; nor is it to claim that no other state would seek to develop or maintain nuclear weapons if the official nuclear powers gave theirs up.
-- George Monbiot, Guardian, January 23, 2002
Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, Celebrity Paranormal Project is fascinating as a demonstration of physiological fear: dilated pupils, nausea, shallow breathing, horripilation, the mind-twisting power of expectation.
-- Vinay Menon, Out of body with Busey, Toronto Star, July 3, 2003
by 1623, from Latin horripilatio, from horripilare "to bristle" + pilus "hair"
Enjoy words that don't sound like what they are,
Bp
[via Dictionary.com's word of the day email service]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
If you like Word of the Day, you might be interested in Double Tongued, which is like word of the day but for recently coined words.
Post a Comment