Graffiti
/ɡrəˈfiːti/noun
Writing or drawings scratched, painted, or sprayed on a wall or other surface in a public place.
Did you know?Graffiti entered English through Italian, where it originally meant inscriptions scratched onto surfaces; the word is tied to the same ancient Greek root behind the idea of writing by carving or scratching.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gerbh-
“to scratch, carve, or inscribe”
Ancient Greek
Greek
gráphein (γράφειν)
“to write, scratch, or draw”
Late Latin
Latin
graphium
“stylus or writing instrument”
Italian
Italian
graffito / graffiti
“a scratched inscription or drawing; plural form used for wall markings”
19th Century
English
graffiti
“plural of graffito, especially inscriptions or drawings on walls”
Modern English
English
graffiti
“public wall writing or drawings, often unauthorized”
Explore more surprising origins