You might experience horripilation while watching a horror movie, because the shared root words give a hint to the meaning of the sensation. “Horripilation” is an old-fashioned term for when the fine hair on the skin is raised when experiencing cold, fear, or excitement — also known as goosebumps. In Latin, “horrere” means “stand on end” and “pilus” means “hair,” so it’s a fairly literal translation. “Horror” comes from another variation of the Latin “horrere,” meaning “to tremble or shudder.”