frisson

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shiver, chill, the chills, thrill, shudder
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/fʁi.sɔ̃/
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A sudden shiver of the body or the feelings, with a literary extension for a light ripple through things.
Practice using this word in conversation

Examples

  • Le champ de blé ondulait par petits frissons.
    The wheat field moved in little ripples.
  • Le dernier accord a provoqué des frissons dans la salle.
    The final chord sent chills through the hall.
  • Un frisson de lumière a traversé les vitraux.
    A shiver of light crossed the stained glass.
  • Le vent de mars lui a donné un frisson dans le dos.
    The March wind gave him a shiver down his back.
  • Un frisson léger courait sur l'eau du lac.
    A light ripple ran across the lake water.

Similar words

frémissement
tremblotement
vibration
exaltation
grelottement
tressaillement
émotion
ondulation
frémissement
émoi

Meanings

Shiver from cold or fever

noun
physical
neutral
A sudden involuntary trembling of the body, usually caused by cold, fever, illness, or another physical shock.

Usage

Use frisson for a brief bodily shiver, especially with cold, fever, or a chill running through the body.

Examples

  • Le vent de mars lui a donné un frisson dans le dos.
    The March wind gave him a shiver down his back.
  • La fièvre revenait, avec de longs frissons pendant la nuit.
    The fever returned, with long chills during the night.
  • En sortant de l'eau froide, un frisson lui a parcouru les épaules.
    Coming out of the cold water, a shiver ran across her shoulders.
  • Le malade était secoué de frissons avant la poussée de fièvre.
    The patient was shaken by chills before the fever spike.
  • Un frisson bref a suivi l'ouverture de la fenêtre.
    A brief shiver followed the opening of the window.
  • Elle a resserré son manteau pour calmer ses frissons.
    She tightened her coat to calm her shivers.
  • Le diagnostic mentionnait des frissons accompagnés de sueurs.
    The diagnosis mentioned chills accompanied by sweating.

Common mistakes

The borrowed word is overused where plain shiver or chills would sound more natural in English.
IncorrectCorrect
She had a frisson of fever all night. She had chills from fever all night.
The cold room was full of frisson. The cold room gave him a shiver.
He caught a frisson after swimming. He got chills after swimming.

Similar words

tremblement
frémissement
frissonnement
grelottement
tremblotement

Emotional shudder or thrill

noun
emotional
neutral
A sudden tremor of feeling, from fear, horror, admiration, desire, music, art, or another intense emotion.

Usage

Use frisson for a sharp emotional thrill or shudder, not for ordinary happiness or mild interest.

Examples

  • Un frisson d'effroi a parcouru la foule.
    A shudder of dread passed through the crowd.
  • La voix de la chanteuse lui a donné un frisson.
    The singer's voice gave him a thrill.
  • Le dernier accord a provoqué des frissons dans la salle.
    The final chord sent chills through the hall.
  • À l'annonce du verdict, un frisson d'inquiétude a traversé le public.
    At the announcement of the verdict, a shiver of anxiety passed through the audience.
  • Le poème a laissé un frisson de beauté difficile à décrire.
    The poem left a thrill of beauty that was hard to describe.
  • Une scène du film lui a causé un frisson de peur.
    A scene in the film gave him a shiver of fear.
  • Le discours a fait naître un frisson d'enthousiasme.
    The speech stirred a thrill of enthusiasm.

Common mistakes

The emotional sense is often narrowed too much to pleasant music chills, although fear and unease also fit.
IncorrectCorrect
The ghost story gave everyone a frisson of happiness. The ghost story gave everyone a frisson of fear.
The email gave me a frisson because it was useful. The aria gave me a frisson because it was overwhelming.
He felt frisson about his lunch order. He felt a frisson of anticipation before the verdict.

Similar words

saisissement
émotion
trouble
effroi
exaltation
frémissement
émoi
enthousiasme

Slight quiver in something

noun
nature
literary
A delicate trembling or ripple in a thing, such as water, leaves, light, fabric, or a surface touched by movement.

Usage

Use frisson in this literary sense for a small visible quiver, often made by wind, water, or light.

Examples

  • Un frisson léger courait sur l'eau du lac.
    A light ripple ran across the lake water.
  • La brise mettait un frisson dans les feuilles.
    The breeze put a quiver in the leaves.
  • On voyait passer des frissons argentés sur la mer.
    Silver ripples could be seen passing over the sea.
  • Au loin, un frisson d'herbe annonçait le vent.
    In the distance, a shiver of grass announced the wind.
  • La surface du rideau eut un frisson presque imperceptible.
    The surface of the curtain gave an almost imperceptible quiver.
  • Le champ de blé ondulait par petits frissons.
    The wheat field moved in little ripples.
  • Un frisson de lumière a traversé les vitraux.
    A shiver of light crossed the stained glass.

Common mistakes

This sense is too delicate for heavy shaking or violent movement.
IncorrectCorrect
Le tremblement de terre a fait un frisson dans la ville. Le tremblement de terre a secoué la ville.
La vague énorme a donné un frisson à la mer. Une brise a fait courir un frisson sur la mer.
Le moteur a produit un frisson assourdissant. Le moteur a produit une vibration assourdissante.

Similar words

frémissement
tremblement
vibration
ondulation
tressaillement

Usage

Use frisson for a short bodily chill, a strong emotional shudder, or a delicate ripple in literary description.

Common mistakes

frisson is not just a pleasant musical chill, since French also uses it for fever, fear, and slight trembling in things.

Etymology

From Old French friçon or frisson, from Late Latin frictio, probably associated with Latin frigere, meaning to be cold.

FAQ

What does frisson mean in French?

frisson means a shiver from cold or fever, an emotional thrill or shudder, or a slight ripple in something.

Is frisson only a pleasant feeling?

No. frisson can be pleasant, but it can also come from fear, fever, cold, worry, or horror.

How is frisson used with music?

With music, frisson means the sudden pleasurable chill or thrill a powerful passage can cause.

Can frisson mean chills from illness?

Yes. frissons often means chills that come with fever or illness.

What is the plural of frisson?

The regular French plural is frissons.

Is frisson masculine or feminine?

frisson is masculine in French, so the singular is un frisson.

How is frisson pronounced?

frisson is pronounced /fʁi.sɔ̃/ in French.

Is frisson the same as tremblement?

Not exactly. tremblement is broader, while frisson is usually brief and tied to cold, feeling, or a fine ripple.

Can things have a frisson?

Yes. Literary French can speak of a frisson on water, leaves, light, fabric, or another surface.

Where does frisson come from?

frisson goes back to Old French and a Late Latin word linked with cold and shivering.

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