thrill
n. countablen. a sudden feeling of great excitement and pleasure. You might feel this when you do something scary or very fun.
n. a sudden feeling of intense excitement, pleasure, or fear. Often associated with a physical sensation of trembling or a surge of adrenaline.
She felt a thrill of excitement when she won the race.
The roller coaster provides a huge thrill for people who enjoy fast rides and steep drops.
While some find the thrill of high-stakes gambling addictive, others are repelled by the inherent risk and the potential for devastating financial loss.
From Old English þȳrlian (“to pierce”), derived from þȳrel (“hole”) (archaic English thirl). Doublet of thirl (verb).
Blend of thread (verb) + drill (verb).
Often followed by the preposition 'of' to specify the source of the emotion.