"covered with hair, hairy," 1753, from Latin pilosus "hairy, shaggy, covered with hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)). Related: Pilosity (c. 1600).
Entries linking to pilose
pile n.3
mid-14c., "downy plumage;" late 15c, "fine, soft hair," from Anglo-French pyle or Middle Dutch pijl, both from Latin pilus "a hair" (source of Italian pelo, Old French pel), a word of uncertain origin. Phonological evidence rules out transmission of the English word via Old French cognate peil, poil. Meaning "soft, raised surface of a regular and closely set kind upon cloth" is from 1560s.