Etymology

thrill

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Today it means: To suddenly excite someone, or to give someone great pleasure; to (figuratively) electrify; to experience such a sensation. Full definition →

Old English þȳrlian
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thrill · verb, noun1

  1. Old English · inherited fromþȳrlian“to pierce”
  2. English todaythrill

From Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb).

thrill · verb2

Blend of thread (verb) + drill (verb).

Words from the same roots

Old Englishþȳrlian all →

thirl

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.