Standard Lemma guide

horripilate

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /hɒˈɹɪpɪˌleɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /hɔˈɹɪpəˌleɪt/

1

verb

Meaning 1

To bristle in fear or horror; to have goose bumps or goose pimples.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

cause (someone's) hair to stand on end and to have goosebumps

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Hitchcock movies horripilate me

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stimulate, excite, stir

3

verb

Meaning 3

have one's hair stand on end and get goosebumps

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I horripilate when I see violence on television

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: experience, receive, have, get

History

Etymology

From Late Latin horripilātus, perfect passive participle of horripilō (“(of hairs) to bristle”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from horreō (“to bristle, shiver, dread”) + pilus (“hair”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵhers- (“to bristle”).

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: gruseln — to bristle in fear or horror