Horripilation is the erection of hairs on the skin caused by cold, fear, excitement or other emotion.
The OED provides one early definition from 1656:
“Horripilation, the standing up of the hair for fear..a sudden quaking, shuddering or shivering.” Glossographia, Thomas Blount.
The word originates from the Latin horrere meaning (of hair) ‘to stand on end’ and pilus meaning ‘hair’. Horrere also means ‘to tremble’ or ‘dread’.
Something that causes this reaction is described as horripilant. Horripilate is the form meaning ‘to undergo or to cause horripilation’.
Hannah McCall 
It’s one of those words that sounds like its meaning 😀
LikeLike
It does! 🙂
LikeLike
Sounds like a great name for Trump’s hairstyle.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This s weird. I had this exact feeling yesterday. I was at mom’s house and we turned around and a family member was standing at the open door. She hadn’t spoken and was standing with a blank look on her face. It startled the hell out of us. Now iI can put a name to the experience.
LikeLike
That is spooky timing! I’m glad to have supplied the relevant word.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This word is used in ‘Aren’t We Sisters?’ by Patricia Ferguson. I had no idea what it meant so I looked it up. Its funny how words seem to have a ‘heyday’ before it falls out of the public perception. It just goes to show that language is still evolving.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it certainly does!
LikeLike