To remove hair from the body or skin, either temporarily or permanently.
From de- (remove) + Latin 'pilus' (hair) + -ate (verb suffix). 'Pilus' is the Latin word for hair; depilate literally means 'to un-hair.' The word entered English medical terminology in the 1800s as hair removal became a cosmetic and medical practice.
Depilate is the fancy word for shaving, waxing, or using hair-removal cream—it covers any method of removing hair. The word shows up in dermatology, cosmetology, and beauty contexts where scientists and professionals needed a unified term.
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