n. pl. graf·fi·ti (-t
)
A drawing or inscription made on a wall or other surface, usually so as to be seen by the public. Often used in the plural.
[Italian, diminutive of graffio,
a scratching, scribble, probably from graffiare,
to scratch, scribble, probably from Vulgar Latin *graphi
re,
to write with a stylus, from Latin graphium,
stylus, from Greek grapheion, graphion, from graphein,
to write. See gerbh- in Indo-European Roots.]
Usage Note: The word graffiti is a plural noun in Italian. In English graffiti is far more common than the singular form graffito and is mainly used as a singular noun in much the same way data is. When the reference is to a particular inscription (as in There was a bold graffiti on the wall), the form graffito would be etymologically correct but might strike some readers as pedantic outside an archaeological context. There is no substitute for the singular use of graffiti when the word is used as a mass noun to refer to inscriptions in general or to the related social phenomenon. The sentence Graffiti is a major problem for the Transit Authority Police cannot be reworded Graffito is... (since graffito can refer only to a particular inscription) or Graffiti are... (which suggests that the police problem involves only the physical marks and not the larger issue of vandalism). In such contexts, the use of graffiti as a singular is justified by both utility and widespread precedent.
art1 A drawing or painting on paper,canvas or material that can be hung
or placed on a wall, stand or implement for that purpose.- Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.
- <LI type=a>The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium. <LI type=a>The study of these activities.
- The product of these activities; human works of beauty considered as a group.
- High quality of conception or execution, as found in works of beauty; aesthetic value.
- A field or category of art, such as music, ballet, or literature.