English Explanatory Dictionary

graffiti

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Drawings or words drawn on a surface in a public place, usually made without authorization.
  2. Informal inscriptions, figure drawings, etc., as opposed to official inscriptions.
verb
  1. To mark a surface with such images.

Pronunciation

/ɡɹəˈfiː.ti/ /ɡɹəˈfi.ti/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-graffiti.wav

Word forms

graffiti graffito graffitis graffitiing graffitied

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ- Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō Ancient Greek γρᾰ́φω (grắphō)bor. Italian graffire Italian graffito Italian graffitibor. English graffiti Borrowed from Italian graffiti, from graffito, from graffire, borrowed from Ancient Greek γρᾰ́φω (grắphō, “to write”), from Proto-Hellenic *grə́pʰō, from Proto-Indo-European *gerbʰ-.

Synonyms

cave painting epigraphy

Related words

hip-hop street art tagging sgraffito

Derived words

antigraffiti calligraffiti cybergraffiti digital graffiti giraffiti graffiti art graffiti artist graffiti bomber graffiti knitting graffitiless graffitilike graffitist graffitology nongraffiti reverse graffiti scratchiti scratchitti shoefiti
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