Graffiti Graffiti Graffiti (both singular and plural; the singular "graffito" is very rare in English except in archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and it has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire. In modern times, paint (particularly spray paint) and marker pens have become the most commonly used graffiti materials. In most countries, marking or painting property without the property owner's permission is considered defacement and vandalism,
Plural form of words ending in -us etymologically Greek despite its Latinized ending, and so pluralizing it as if it were Latin (i.e. as "platypi") is ill-considered. As with "octopus", importing Greek morphology into English would have "platypodes" as the plural, but in practice this form is hardly attested outside of discussions about pluralization. In scientific contexts, biologists often use "platypus" as both the singular and plural form of the word, in the tradition of "sheep" or "fish", but laypersons and scientists alike often use the simple English plural "platypuses". Different dictionaries make different recommendations. As a word in Botanical Latin (as distinct from Classical Latin), "cactus"