1. A shudder or shiver, as of excitement, fear, or pleasure: A frisson is a brief intense reaction, usually a feeling of excitement, recognition, or terror, accompanied by a physical shudder or thrill.
2. Etymology: from Late 18th century via French, literally "shiver," from Latin frigere "to be cold".

Its relationship to cold, frigere, is based on the fact that when people are cold, they usually shiver.