Showing results for "graffiti"

• plural of graffito.

graffiti

American  

[gruh-fee-tee] / grəˈfi ti /

noun

1. plural of graffito.

2. (used with a plural verb) markings, as initials, slogans, or drawings, written, spray-painted, or sketched on a sidewalk, wall of a building or public restroom, or the like.

   These graffiti are evidence of the neighborhood's decline.

3. (used with a singular verb) such markings as a whole or as constituting a particular group.

   Not much graffiti appears around here these days.

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graffiti British  

/ ɡræˈfiːtiː /

plural noun

1. (sometimes with singular verb) drawings, messages, etc, often obscene, scribbled on the walls of public lavatories, advertising posters, etc

2. archaeol inscriptions or drawings scratched or carved onto a surface, esp rock or pottery

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Usage

In formal speech and writing graffiti takes a plural verb. In less formal contexts it is sometimes considered a mass noun and is used with a singular verb. The singular graffito is found mostly in archaeological and other technical writing.

Other Word Forms

• graffitist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of graffiti

1850–55; < Italian, plural of graffito incised inscription or design, derivative with -ito -ite ² of graffiare to scratch, perhaps influenced by presumed Latin *graphīre to write; both probably derivative of Latin graphium stylus < Greek grapheîon; cf. graphic, grapho-, graft ¹

Explanation

Graffiti is a word, phrase, or image painted or drawn somewhere in public, like on the side of a building or on the walls in a restroom. Art or vandalism? That’s the debate about graffiti. For some people, graffiti looks ugly and damages the property where it’s left. Others consider graffiti a form of self-expression and a celebration of public spaces. The word comes from the Italian graffito, which means “a scratch,” and like a deep scratch, graffiti can be difficult to remove. It’s also difficult to spell, but remember that there are two fs and only one t and you’ll get it right every time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

graffiti

The outside of the cafe was vandalized with graffiti.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

On a street in southern Israel, a graffiti artist paints a mural depicting the filmmakers behind the award-winning documentary "NAZA".

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

On our way up here, we had passed graffiti flamingos on the sides of bunkers and on the path itself, but he had made no reference to them in his spiel about the island’s history.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

From above, standing at the viewpoint, graffiti is visible on the roof.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

There’s no trash on the streets, no graffiti on the trees, and shiny brand-new cars are everywhere.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick