Graffito

Origin

Borrowing from it graffito.

Full definition of graffito

Noun

1. archaeology and related fields An informal inscription, as by a worker or vandal.
2. (rare) A single instance of graffiti in the art/vandalism sense.

Usage notes

Outside of archaeology, graffiti or “a piece of graffiti” is used for the singular. As graffiti is borrowed from a plural form, prescriptivists consider singular use of graffiti incorrect: compare data/datum. The use of "graffiti" in contemporary art is a synonym to "Tags-Throw-ups-Pieces", TTP in short. Jacobson, Staffan: Den spraymålade bilden. Ph.D. diss. Aerosol Art Archives, University of Lund, Sweden 1996. p. 10-11. ISBN 91-628-2186-5