In a state of being bristled or standing on end, like hair or bristles raised in anger or fear.
Combination of 'a-' (prefix meaning 'in a state of') + 'bristle' (stiff hairs). The 'a-' prefix comes from Old English and creates adjectives describing conditions or states.
This word captures a specific physical sensation that most adjectives miss—that electric moment when every hair on your body stands up simultaneously, whether from fear, cold, or anger.
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