| 1 | Middle English | graffe | Alternative form of grave |
| 2 | Old French | greffe | stylus |
| 3 | Latin | graphium | stylus; pen |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | γραφεῖον | pencil |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | γράφω | to scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | grəpʰō | to scratch, cut or carve into; to draw ,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gerbʰ- | to carve |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |