Goosebump

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tiny elevation on the skin caused by contraction of small muscles at hair follicles, typically triggered by cold, fear, or strong emotion
2. A small pimple-like protrusion on the skin resulting from involuntary muscle tightening around hair roots, often appearing in response to temperature or emotional stimulation
3. A minute raised spot on the skin surface created when muscles connected to hair follicles contract due to cold exposure or intense feeling

Etymology: The skin reaction we call goosebumps is named after the plucked bird, not the living one. When a goose is plucked, each feather leaves behind a small raised bump in the skin, and the human response of tiny raised bumps when we are cold, frightened or moved was given the same image. The resemblance is the whole basis of the name: the goose supplies the picture, and the bumps supply the meaning. "Goosebump" is simply a closed-up spelling of "goose bump," the two-word form in which the phrase is more commonly written. Both spellings describe the same thing, and the compound itself is straightforward, built from the familiar noun "goose" and "bump" for a small raised swelling.

Synonyms: goose pimple, chill bump