Word: goosebumps (noun, plural)

Associations

"Goosebumps" means the small bumps that appear on your skin when you are cold, scared, excited, or feeling strong emotions. It looks like the skin of a plucked goose, which is why it is called "goosebumps."

• When you feel cold, you might get goosebumps to help keep your body warm.
• If you hear a very moving song, you might get goosebumps because it touches your feelings.
• When you are scared or nervous, your body reacts by giving you goosebumps.

A similar word is "chills," but chills usually mean you feel cold or sick, while goosebumps are about the skin reaction.

Substitution

You can say:

• "shivers" – when you are cold or scared, but this usually means your whole body shakes a little.
• "goose flesh" – a less common, more old-fashioned term for goosebumps.
• "skin bumps" – a very general phrase but not common.

Each word changes the feeling a little: "shivers" focus more on movement, "goosebumps" focus on the skin reaction.

Deconstruction

"Goosebumps" is made of two words:

• "goose" – a type of bird with bumpy skin when plucked.
• "bumps" – small raised spots on the skin.

The phrase comes from the way your skin looks like a plucked goose’s skin when these bumps appear.

Inquiry

• When was the last time you got goosebumps? What caused it?
• Do you think goosebumps only happen when you are cold or scared? Why or why not?
• Can you imagine other animals that might have similar skin reactions? Why?