graffito

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ-

Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō

Ancient Greek γρᾰ́φω (grắphō)bor.

Italian graffire

Italian graffitobor.

English graffito

Borrowed from Italian graffito.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɡɹəˈfitoʊ/, [ɡɹəˈfiɾoʊ̯]

Noun

graffito (plural graffiti)

1. (archaeology and related fields) An informal inscription, as by a worker or vandal.
2. (rare) A single instance of graffiti in the art/vandalism sense.
   • 1982 April 24, Bob Nelson, “NY Cops Harass Activist Writing Graffiti”, in Gay Community News, page 3:

     One officer got out to inspect the graffito.

Usage notes

Outside of archaeology, graffiti or “a piece of graffiti” is used for the singular. As graffiti is borrowed from a plural form, prescriptivists consider singular use of graffiti incorrect: compare data/datum. The use of "graffiti" in contemporary art is a synonym to "Tags-Throw-ups-Pieces", TTP in short.

Synonyms

• graffitus

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡrafˈfi.to/
• Rhymes: -ito
• Hyphenation: graf‧fì‧to

Noun

graffito m (plural graffiti)

1. graffiti

Participle

graffito (feminine graffita, masculine plural graffiti, feminine plural graffite)

1. past participle of graffire

Related terms

• graffiata
• graffio

Anagrams

• goffrati, griffato