depilate

/ˈdɛpɪleɪt/

//ˈdɛpɪleɪt// verb

"depilate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“depilate” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To remove all hair from skin so as to make it smooth.

Corpus desk

Index EN-depilate · depilate · English

depilate · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "D" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for depilate
PropertyValue
Headworddepilate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈdɛpɪleɪt/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “depilate” in English

depilateranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

depilate is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈdɛpɪleɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To remove all hair from skin so as to make it smooth.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for depilate in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1575; borrowed from Latin dēpilātus, perfect passive participle of dēpilō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). The correct English form is depilate, spelled D-E-P-I-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To remove all hair from skin so as to make it smooth.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how depilate appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. In Siena, the donkey upon which Bernardino had traveled so many miles was literally and thoroughly depilated in the mad rush for miracle-working relics.

Etymology

First attested in 1575; borrowed from Latin dēpilātus, perfect passive participle of dēpilō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "depilate"?
"depilate" is spelled D-E-P-I-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛpɪleɪt/.
What does "depilate" mean?
As a verb, "depilate" means: To remove all hair from skin so as to make it smooth.
How do you pronounce "depilate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "depilate" is /ˈdɛpɪleɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "depilate"?
First attested in 1575; borrowed from Latin dēpilātus, perfect passive participle of dēpilō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list