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Definition of graffiti noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

graffiti

noun
 
/ɡrəˈfiːti/
 
/ɡrəˈfiːti/
 [uncountable, plural]
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  1. drawings or writing on a wall, etc. in a public place
    • The subway was covered in graffiti.
    • Someone had scrawled graffiti all over the school walls.
    • a fashionable graffiti artist
    In Italian graffiti is a plural noun and the singular form is graffito. In English, the form graffito is very rare. The form graffiti may be considered plural and used with a plural verb: There were graffiti everywhere. However, it is more often considered as an uncountable noun like writing and used with a singular verb: There was graffiti everywhere.
    Extra Examples
    • Racist graffiti was sprayed on the walls.
    • The buildings were covered with graffiti.
    Topics Artb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • obscene
    • offensive
    • racist
    • …
    … of graffiti
    • piece
    verb + graffiti
    • daub
    • scrawl
    • spray
    • …
    graffiti + noun
    • artist
    • vandal
    See full entry
    Word Originmid 19th cent.: from Italian (plural), from graffio ‘a scratch’.
See graffiti in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: graffiti

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