graffito

noun

graf·​fi·​to grə-ˈfē-(ˌ)tō 

gra-,

grä-

plural graffiti grə-ˈfē-(ˌ)tē 

gra-,

grä-

: an inscription or drawing made on some public surface (such as a rock or wall)

also : a message or slogan written as or as if as a graffito

graffitist

grə-ˈfē-tist 

gra-

grä-

noun

Did you know?

Graffito Is the Singular Form of Graffiti

Any casual writing or design marked on a wall is a graffito. Graffiti (the plural of graffito) have been made throughout history; they are found in abundance on the monuments of ancient Egypt. Technically the term applies to a design scratched through a layer of paint or plaster, but its meaning is extended to other markings. Graffiti produced with spray paint became notorious in New York City in the 1970s and have appeared in cities all over the US and Europe. The 20th-century preoccupation with manifestations of the subconscious stimulated this form of expression and produced a vogue for “graffiti art.” Graffiti are sometimes considered a form of folk art.

Examples of graffito in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their theory also fit with an ancient graffito found in Puteoli, Italy, depicting a crucified individual, with a woman’s name, Alkimila, above a shoulder. —Fredrick Kunkle, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Apr. 2023

The home in front of them had boarded up windows and graffiti scrawled on its classic white exterior. —Alina Dizik, WSJ, 28 May 2020

Some protesters damaged windows, a squad car and spraying graffiti on the building. —Lici Beveridge, USA TODAY, 28 May 2020

Protesters eventually made their way to a police precinct, where some demonstrators damaged windows and sprayed graffiti, according to the Associated Press. —Mahita Gajanan, Time, 27 May 2020

Many protesters marched more than 2 miles to the police precinct station in that part of the city, with some damaging the building’s windows and squad cars and spraying graffiti. —Amy Forliti and Jeff Baenen, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 May 2020

Some students at Syracuse University left the campus in November after being rattled by racist and anti-Semitic incidents, including racist graffiti scrawled on dormitory walls and anti-Semitic emails sent to faculty members. —Moriah Balingit, Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2019

Others sprayed graffiti along walls and smashed windows at a subway exit. —BostonGlobe.com, 30 Sep. 2019

Reuters/Tyrone Siu Police who had earlier been stationed inside to stop protesters from entering all the way ceded the building to the control of the demonstrators, who barricaded corridors and sprayed graffiti on the walls. —Adam Rasmi, Quartz, 1 July 2019

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Word History

Etymology

Italian, incised inscription, from graffiare to scratch, probably from grafio stylus, from Latin graphium

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

graffito

noun

graf·​fi·​to gra-ˈfēt-ō 

plural graffiti -(ˌ)ē 

: a writing or drawing made on a public surface (as a wall or rock)

Etymology

Italian, literally, "little scratch," from graffio "scratch," derived from Latin graphium "pointed device for writing on wax tablets," derived from Greek graphein "to write" — related to -gram, grammar, -graph