sgraffito

[ skrah-fee-toh; Italian zgrahf-fee-taw ]

noun,plural sgraf·fi·ti [skrah-fee-tee; Italian zgrahf-fee-tee]. /skrɑˈfi ti; Italian zgrɑfˈfi ti/.
  1. a technique of ornamentation in which a surface layer of paint, plaster, slip, etc., is incised to reveal a ground of contrasting color.

  2. an object, especially pottery, decorated by this technique.

Origin of sgraffito

1
1720–30; <Italian, past participle of sgraffire to do graffito work, derivative of sgraffio a scratch, implement for drawing, itself derivative of (s)graffiare to scratch, draw on plaster with a pointed tool; see ex1, graffito

Words Nearby sgraffito

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sgraffito in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sgraffito

sgraffito

/ (sɡræˈfiːtəʊ) /


nounplural -ti (-tɪ)
  1. a technique in mural or ceramic decoration in which the top layer of glaze, plaster, etc, is incised with a design to reveal parts of the ground

  2. such a decoration

  1. an object decorated in such a way

Origin of sgraffito

1
C18: from Italian, from sgraffire to scratch; see graffiti

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012