gooseflesh

(ˈɡuːsˌflɛʃ) n (Physiology) the bumpy condition of the skin induced by cold, fear, etc, caused by contraction of the muscles at the base of the hair follicles with consequent erection of papillae: so called because of the resemblance to the skin of a freshly-plucked fowl. Also called: goose bumps, goose pimples or goose skin

Thesaurus

Noun

gooseflesh - reflex erection of hairs of the skin in response to cold or emotional stress or skin irritationgoose bump, goose pimple, goose skin, goosebump, horripilation, pilomotor reflexinborn reflex, innate reflex, instinctive reflex, physiological reaction, reflex, reflex action, reflex response, unconditioned reflex - an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus

Translations

pelle d'oca

gooseflesh

gooseflesh,

temporary rumpling of the skin into tiny bumps, also called goose bumps and goose pimples, and technically known as cutis ansirina. In response to cold or certain emotional states, such as fear or rage, the smooth muscles of the subsurface layer (dermis) of skin tend to contract, causing the skin to pucker and body hair to stand erect. In furred animals this can serve a dual purpose. Erection of the fur may make an animal seem larger than it actually is and act to frighten away a potential aggressor. Second, the erect fur traps a blanket of air close to the skin thus providing the organism with additional insulation against loss of body heat. In humans, this response would seem to be vestigial.

Gooseflesh

a change in the skin manifested by the appearance of tiny nodules, so that the skin resembles that of a plucked goose.

Gooseflesh is caused by cold and mental agitation (for example, fear), which result in the contraction of the minute muscles that raise the hair. Gooseflesh can be a form of keratosis, lichen pilaris, a developmental anomaly of the hair bulbs, or vitamin A deficiency. It appears in children from the ages of two to five mostly on the extensor surfaces of the limbs, intensifies at puberty, and smooths out after a number of years. Treatment of the condition involves softening and removal of the horny layers and a diet rich in vitamin A, or administration of a preparation containing the vitamin.

gooseflesh

cu·tis an·se·ri·'na

contraction of the arrectores pilorum produced by cold, fear, or other stimulus, causing the follicular orifices to become prominent. Synonym(s): goose flesh, gooseflesh

Diffuse 1-3 mm bosselations or papules, fancifully likened to a goose’s skin after the feathers have been plucked
Forensics An early postmortem finding caused by rigor mortis of erector pili, commonly seen in drowning victims
Infectious disease Diffuse, finely papular rash of scarlet fever overlying an erythematous base
Substance abuse Horripilation, an early symptom of heroin withdrawal or ‘cold turkey’, which reflects marked sympathetic discharge, seen ± 8 hours after the last dose, and accompanied by yawning, lacrimation, mydriasis, insomnia, hyperactivity of the GI tract, diarrhoea, tachycardia, and hypertension

gooseflesh

Related to gooseflesh: piloerection

noun

Synonyms for gooseflesh

noun reflex erection of hairs of the skin in response to cold or emotional stress or skin irritation

Synonyms

goose bump
goose pimple
goose skin
goosebump
horripilation
pilomotor reflex

Related Words

inborn reflex
innate reflex
instinctive reflex
physiological reaction
reflex
reflex action
reflex response
unconditioned reflex