# graffiti

/ɡɹəˈfiti/ (US) · /ɡɹɐfˈiːti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/graffiti
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. historical inscriptions

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

informal drawings or writing found on ancient walls by archaeologists.

For teachers: informal or spontaneous inscriptions or figure drawings found on ancient structures, as opposed to formal, official monumental inscriptions.

- Archaeologists found ancient graffiti on the walls of the Roman barracks.
- The preservation of Pompeian graffiti provides historians with invaluable insights into the daily lives and political opinions of ordinary citizens in the first century.

### 3. to draw on a surface

verb · CEFR B2

to draw or write on a wall or building in a public place.

For teachers: to mark a surface with unauthorised drawings or inscriptions. This transitive use is less common than the noun form.

- Someone had graffitied a large heart on the side of the old bridge.
- The abandoned factory had been heavily graffitied over the years, leaving almost no original brickwork visible to the surveyors.

## Examples

- The city cleaned the colorful graffiti off the brick wall.
- Local artists were invited to paint a mural on the bridge to prevent illegal graffiti from appearing there.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.