ENGLISH
REFERENCE

graffiti

n. uncountable
B1 Intermediate US //ɡɹəˈfiti// UK //ɡɹɐfˈiːti// graf·fi·ti

n. writing or drawings made on a wall in a public place. It is often done with spray paint and can be seen as art or as a crime.

n. writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place. Often treated as a collective mass, though it can refer to individual works.


SIMPLE

The city cleaned the colorful graffiti off the brick wall.

CONTEXTUAL

Local artists were invited to paint a mural on the bridge to prevent illegal graffiti from appearing there.

COMPLEX

While some city officials view graffiti as a form of vandalism that degrades property values, many art historians argue it represents a vital and democratic form of public expression.

Synonyms
Origin

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-.

Pitfall

There are many graffitis on the wall.There is a lot of graffiti on the wall.Graffiti is uncountable in English; use 'pieces of graffiti' if you need to count individual items.

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