Remember when “frisson” was the hot word? I do; about 15 – 20 years ago, maybe. All of a sudden I heard and read it everywhere. It was journalism’s pet noun for a while, although some people incorrectly used it as a adjective. It was always used in a positive context, meaning a little shiver of joy or thrill. It sounded pretentious, I thought, and then it was extra annoying because everyone was using it like they were the first. It became tired very quickly, and then disappeared, thankfully.
I was watering my garden this morning, enjoying the tranquil quiet of flowers and butterflies, and all of a sudden I experienced one; a frisson. The word popped into my mind simultaneously with the little shiver of joy. A word I had not thought of in years. I was equally amazed by both the feeling and the long forgotten word showing up. Perhaps they just go together in a way that defies grammar and translation. What is the word for a little shiver of acceptance?
Plethora 