# graffiti

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡɹəˈfiː.ti/ · frequency rank #12,057

## Definitions
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.

## 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-.

## Easily confused with
- **Griffith** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/graffiti-vs-griffith)

## Common misspellings (10)
`garffiti`, `ggraffiti`, `graffiit`, `graffitti`, `grafftii`, `grafifti`, `grafiti`, `grfafiti`, `grraffiti`, `rgaffiti`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/graffiti