Etymograph

English

epilation

Epilation comes from French épilation ‘depilation, hair removal’, from épiler ‘to epilate’, and ultimately from Latin pilus ‘hair’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpilus1‘hair’
  2. Frenchc. 1600–presentépiler2‘to epilate’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentépilation3‘depilation, hair removal’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1927epilation3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, French épiler
  2. 2 Wiktionary, French épilation
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English epilation
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1927, Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex: “These [boys being groomed as prostitutes] are sold by…”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpilusWiktionary, French épiler‘hair’
  2. Frenchc. 1600–presentépilerWiktionary, French épilation‘to epilate’
  3. Frenchc. 1600–presentépilationWiktionary, English epilation‘depilation, hair removal’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1927epilationWiktionary, English epilation. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1927, Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex: “These [boys being groomed as prostitutes] are sold by…”

Linked words

through Latin pilleus ‘felt cap’

piles, pillage, 8 more

through Latin pilus ‘hair’

peel, pile, pill, plush, pellet, peloton, pilar, 22 more

Today it means

noun The removal of hair from the skin in such a way that removes or destroys the root.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “epilation”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for French épiler, French épilation. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Latin pilus / epilation

Shirt and support for this word