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Stage 1 of 3
graffiare
Italian · medieval
"to scratch"
meaning "to scratch"
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Stage 2 of 3
graffiti
Italian · 1800s
"scratched wall drawings"
applied to inscriptions and drawings scratched onto ancient walls
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Stage 3 of 3
graffiti
English · 1800s-1900s
"writing or drawings on public surfaces"
adopted directly from Italian, later applied to spray-paint art
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