ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tingle

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɪŋɡəɫ// UK //tˈɪŋɡəl// tin·gle

n. a small, pleasant feeling on your skin, like when you are cold or when you touch something that makes you feel excited.

n. a light, pleasant sensation on the skin, often caused by cold, electricity, or excitement.


SIMPLE

I felt a pleasant tingle on my skin when I touched the cold water.

CONTEXTUAL

The first snow of the season gave her a slight tingle on her cheeks as she walked home.

COMPLEX

The success of the project gave the team a collective tingle of accomplishment that lasted for weeks, boosting their morale and productivity.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English tinglen, of uncertain origin. Possibly from Middle English tingen (“to tink”) + -len, equivalent to ting + -le. Alternatively, possibly a variant of Middle English tinclen (“to tinkle”) or from Old English tinclian (“to tickle”). More at tinkle. Compare also West Frisian tingelje (“to tinkle”), Dutch tingelen (“to tinkle, jingle”).

Etymology 2

cognate with the Middle High German zingel

© 2026 English Reference