What does epilating mean?
'Epilating' is the present participle of the verb 'epilate', meaning to remove hair from the body at the root rather than merely cutting it off at the skin's surface. In modern usage it most commonly refers to hair removal performed with an electric epilator — a handheld device whose rotating tweezing mechanism grasps and pulls out multiple hairs simultaneously — though the term can also cover other root-removal methods such as waxing. Because the hair is extracted whole, results last noticeably longer than shaving, typically several weeks, which is the main reason people choose epilating despite its reputation for being uncomfortable, particularly for beginners. The word derives from the Latin 'epilare', formed from 'ex-' ('out') and 'pilus' ('hair'), making it a direct sibling of 'depilatory'. It appears chiefly in consumer, cosmetic, and dermatological contexts and carries no strong regional restriction across British and American English.
verb (present participle of 'epilate')Removing hair from the body by mechanical or chemical means, especially using an epilator device that grasps and pulls out multiple hairs at once.
- Removing body hair at the root using an epilator or similar mechanical means.
- (By extension) removing hair chemically or by any root-level method, as in professional or clinical contexts.
"She spent the evening epilating her legs before the beach holiday."
"She spent the evening epilating her legs before the beach holiday."
"The salon offers waxing, sugaring, and epilating as alternatives to shaving."
The word 'epilate' comes straight from the Latin for 'plucking out hair' — a beauty practice Romans were already writing about two thousand years ago.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of epilating
'Epilating' comes from the verb 'epilate', borrowed into English from Latin 'epilare' (or its frequentative form), meaning to pluck out hair. The Latin word combines 'ex-' ('out of') with 'pilus' ('a single hair'). It shares this root with 'depilate', 'depilatory', and related dermatological terms built on the same Latin stem, and entered English usage in the early modern period before finding its modern niche in hair-removal technology.
Related word forms
How epilating is actually used
Register is neutral to slightly technical; everyday speech more often uses 'waxing', 'plucking', or brand-specific terms like 'using an epilator'. The verb form is less common than the noun 'epilator' or the gerund used in product marketing.
Easily confused with epilating
Exfoliating removes dead skin cells from the surface, whereas epilating pulls hair out from the root.