Editing Graffiti (section)

== Etymology ==
"Graffiti" (usually both singular and plural) and the rare singular form "graffito" are from the Italian word ''graffiato'' ("scratched").<ref>The Italian singular form "graffito" is so rare in English (except in specialist texts on archeology) that it is not even recorded or mentioned in some dictionaries, for example the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English and the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary.</ref><ref name=oxd/><ref name="ahd">{{Cite web |last=Publishers |first=HarperCollins |title=The American Heritage Dictionary entry: graffiti |url=https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=graffiti |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=www.ahdictionary.com}}</ref> In ancient times graffiti were carved on walls with a sharp object, although sometimes [[chalk]] or [[coal]] were used. The word originates from Greek {{lang|el|γράφειν}}—''graphein''—meaning "to write".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/graffiti|title=graffiti {{!}} Origin and meaning of graffiti by Online Etymology Dictionary|website=www.etymonline.com|language=en|access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref>