goose skin: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Literary
Quick answer
What does “goose skin” mean?
The temporary pimply condition of the skin resulting from cold, fear, or excitement, caused by contraction of the arrector pili muscles and raising of the hairs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The temporary pimply condition of the skin resulting from cold, fear, or excitement, caused by contraction of the arrector pili muscles and raising of the hairs.
A physiological reaction to strong emotion, such as awe or excitement, when listening to music or experiencing something moving.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
"Goose skin" is less common than "goose bumps" or "goose pimples" in both varieties. It is occasionally used in literary contexts in British English. American English strongly prefers "goose bumps".
Connotations
Slightly more literary or descriptive than "goose bumps/pimples".
Frequency
Rare. 'Goose bumps' (AmE) and 'goose pimples' (BrE) are the dominant terms.
Grammar
How to Use “goose skin” in a Sentence
[Subject] gets/has goose skin.[Stimulus] gives [Experiencer] goose skin.[Experiencer] is covered in goose skin from [Stimulus].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “goose skin” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The eerie silence made her skin goose.
American English
- The ghost story goosed his skin.
adjective
British English
- He had a goose-skin feeling on his arms.
American English
- She felt all goose-skinned during the speech.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Highly unlikely.
Academic
Possible in literary analysis or psychology texts describing physical reactions to stimuli.
Everyday
Informal use, though less common than alternatives.
Technical
The technical term is "horripilation" or "piloerection".
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “goose skin”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “goose skin”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “goose skin”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'I have a goose skin'). It is uncountable/non-count. Correct: 'I have goose skin.'
- Confusing with 'goosebump' as a single countable entity. 'Goose skin' refers to the overall condition.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is relatively rare. 'Goose bumps' (AmE) and 'goose pimples' (BrE) are far more common in everyday speech.
Yes. While often linked to cold or fear, it can also describe the physical reaction to profound awe, beauty, or excitement, such as from music.
They are synonyms. 'Gooseflesh' is perhaps slightly more formal or literary, while 'goose skin' is more descriptive of the visual appearance.
No, it is generally treated as an uncountable noun referring to a condition or state of the skin, not individual bumps.
The temporary pimply condition of the skin resulting from cold, fear, or excitement, caused by contraction of the arrector pili muscles and raising of the hairs.
Goose skin is usually informal, literary in register.
Goose skin: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡuːs skɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡuːs skɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not a verbatim idiom, but used in constructions like] It was so beautiful it gave me goose skin.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a plucked goose – its skin is bumpy where the feathers were. When you're cold or scared, your skin looks similar.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE SKIN IS THE SURFACE OF AN ANIMAL (specifically a plucked bird); A PHYSICAL REACTION IS A TEXTURAL CHANGE.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a direct synonym for 'goose skin'?