piloerection

P3I1L1O1E1R1E1C3T1I1O1N1

noun

The erection of hairs or papillae.

Similar
horripilationpilomotor reflex
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nounpiloerection (countable and uncountable, plural piloerections)

plural piloerections

  1. countableuncountableThe erection of hairs or papillae.

    A third difference between harvester ant stings and other stings is localized piloerection, the standing up of the hairs around the sting site.

    2016, Justin O. Schmidt, The Sting of the Wild, Johns Hopkins University Press, →ISBN, page 127
  2. countableuncountableThe manifestation of goose bumps.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
horripilationpilomotor reflex
Also see
horripilation

Origin

From pilo- + erection.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish piloerección
  • piloerecciónTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

piloerection. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/piloerection

MLA

“piloerection.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/piloerection. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “piloerection,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/piloerection.

Source: piloerection on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.