graffa

Graffa is a term used in Italian-language contexts with several meanings. The most widely recognized refers to a fried dough pastry from Naples, known as graffa (singular) or graffe (plural). These doughnuts are ring-shaped, fried until golden, and often dusted with sugar or flavored with citrus zest. They are a familiar item in Neapolitan street food and breakfast culture.

In various Italian dialects, graffa can also designate a small metal fastener or clip, similar in idea to a staple. This sense is regional and less common in standard Italian, where the more formal term for a staple is graffetta. The hardware usage is typically confined to specific locales and is not as widely recognized as the pastry meaning.

Graffa also appears as a surname and can be found in some place names or cultural references in Italian-speaking areas. As with many polysemous terms, the intended meaning is usually clear from context, with the pastry sense being the most prominent and widely known in contemporary usage.