Meanings
comparative more depilatory · superlative most depilatory
- That removes hair
You can do anything with electrolytic, depilatory creams and a little patience.
1913, Gaston Leroux, translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, Balaoo, Book 2
plural depilatories
- A preparation that removes hair from the body.
Depilatories were used for all hirsute parts of the body.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 811 more example
When Bilkis Queen of Sheba discovered her legs by lifting her robe (Koran xxvii.), Solomon was minded to marry her, but would not do so till the devils had by a depilatory removed the hair.
1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume IV, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveable to remove hair or render hairless
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frenchdépilatoire
- Englishdepilatory
From French dépilatoire.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan depilatori
- depilatorithat removes hair
Finnish karvoja poistava, karvanpoisto
- karvoja poistavathat removes hair
- karvanpoistopreparation that removes hair from the body
French épilatoire, dépilatoire
- épilatoirethat removes hair
- dépilatoirethat removes hair
Icelandic háreyðingar-, háreyðingarvara
- háreyðingar-that removes hair
- háreyðingarvarapreparation that removes hair from the body
Italian depilatore, depilatorio
- depilatorethat removes hair
- depilatoriothat removes hair
- depilatorepreparation that removes hair from the body
Latin dropax
- dropaxpreparation that removes hair from the body
Spanish depilatorio
- depilatoriothat removes hair
Turkish hamam otu
- hamam otupreparation that removes hair from the body
Cite this entry
depilatory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/depilatory
“depilatory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/depilatory. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “depilatory,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/depilatory.
Source: depilatory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.