c. 1600, "having the property of removing hair from the skin," from French dépilatorie (adj.), from Latin depilatus "having one's hair plucked," from de- "completely" (see de-) + pilatus, past participle of pilare "deprive of hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)). Earlier in same sense was Depilative. As a noun, "application used to remove hair without injuring the skin," from c. 1600, from French dépilatorie (n.).
