graffito

noun graf·fi·to \ grə-ˈfē-(ˌ)tō , gra- , grä- \

Definition of graffito

plural graffiti play \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

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graffitist

play \grə-ˈfē-tist, gra-, grä-\ noun

See graffito defined for kids

Recent Examples of graffito from the Web

Vandals also wrote graffiti in chalk on the sidewalk and poured chocolate syrup on the front doorstep.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "South Shore police report: Teens could race charges in robbery/stabbing incident," 22 Aug. 2017
The most popular refrain, on official billboards and graffiti scrawled across concrete walls, celebrated the country’s nascent democracy with the hashtag #GambiaHasDecided.

— annabelle timsit, The Atlantic, "Postcard From Dresden and India's Pilgrims: The Week in Global-Affairs Writing," 18 Aug. 2017
Obscenities and other graffiti were spray-painted on the 1908 monument sometime before dawn Thursday.

— Bloomberg.com, "Here Are the Confederate Monuments Getting Removed in U.S. Cities," 17 Aug. 2017
Still showing traces of graffiti, the container is the same one Rhinehart installed on a lot in Montecito Heights in 2016, yielding vandals, irate neighbors, and a criminal zoning complaint.

— andrew rosenblum, Los Angeles Magazine, "Soylent, Its 75 Employees, and Its Helipad, Are Landing in the Arts District," 17 Aug. 2017
Artist Jean Dubuffet created an abstract monument that viewers can fully embrace that reflects his street style graffiti aesthetic.

— erin ben-moche, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago art fairies are a myth: This is how sculptures find a home," 26 July 2017
For something like graffiti, which has inspired the world with font or anything to do with anyone wearing a baseball cap and f—ing sneakers, at its centre it is still misunderstood.

— luke morgan, PEOPLE.com, "Banksy Revealed? British DJ Goldie May Have Accidentally Shared the Mysterious Artist’s True Identity," 23 June 2017
Others have even written graffiti around the light switch, including MAGA — Trump's campaign slogan to Make America Great Again.

— elizabeth kramer, The Courier-Journal, "Nude Donald Trump painting at Against the Grain getting jeers and cheers," 23 June 2017
Now only the overgrown ruin of a swimming pool and a hut covered with graffiti remain.

— linda robertson, miamiherald, "Beautiful parks beckon — just don’t try to walk there," 22 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'graffito.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.