Having had hair removed by shaving, especially facial hair; smooth and hairless from shaving.
Past participle of 'shave,' from Old English 'scafan.' The word has described removing body hair since at least Old English times, though what was considered proper to shave varied greatly by culture and era.
The history of male facial hair represents pure cultural relativity—sometimes shaved faces were required (ancient Egypt, 1920s America), sometimes beards were mandatory (some Islamic traditions, Victorian men), and the standards flip and flop based on what each era associated with masculinity and class.
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