'goosebump' originates from English, specifically the combination of the words 'goose' and 'bump', where 'goose' ultimately comes from Old English 'gōs' meaning 'goose' and 'bump' comes from Middle English 'bumpe' meaning 'a swelling or raised spot'.

'goosebump' developed alongside older English expressions such as 'gooseflesh' and 'goose pimples'; the compound 'goosebump(s)' became more common in Modern English (19th–20th century) and is now widely used, especially in informal contexts.

Initially, expressions like 'gooseflesh' referred to skin that resembled the skin of a plucked goose; over time the term evolved to describe the involuntary physiological reaction (small raised bumps) caused by cold, fear, or strong emotion, and later also acquired a figurative sense of 'a shiver of awe' or intense feeling.