Ma·fi·a (mä f - )n. 1. A secret criminal organization operating mainly in the United States and Italy and engaged in illegal activities such as gambling, drug-dealing, protection, and prostitution. 2. Any of various similar criminal organizations, especially when dominated by members of the same nationality. 3. A secret criminal organization operating mainly in Sicily since the early 19th century and known for its intimidation of and retribution against law enforcement officials and witnesses. 4. often mafia Informal A tightly knit group of trusted associates, as of a political leader: "[He] is one of the personal mafia that [the chancellor] brought with him to Bonn" (Christian Science Monitor). [Italian, perhaps from dialectal mafia, bluster, boldness.] |
Mafia, Maffia [ˈmæfɪə]
n
1. (Sociology) the. an international secret organization founded in Sicily, probably in opposition to tyranny. It developed into a criminal organization and in the late 19th century was carried to the US by Italian immigrants
2. (Sociology) any group considered to resemble the Mafia See also Black Hand, Camorra, Cosa Nostra
[from Sicilian dialect of Italian, literally hostility to the law, boldness, perhaps from Arabic mahyah bragging]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  Mafia - a crime syndicate in the United States; organized in families; believed to have important relations to the Sicilian Mafiaomerta - a code of silence practiced by the Mafia; a refusal to give evidence to the police about criminal activities crime syndicate, syndicate, mob, family - a loose affiliation of gangsters in charge of organized criminal activities mafioso - a member of the Mafia crime syndicate in the United States |
| 2. | Mafia - a secret terrorist group in Sicily; originally opposed tyranny but evolved into a criminal organization in the middle of the 19th century act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act - the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear mafioso - a member of the Sicilian Mafia | |
| 3. | mafia - any tightly knit group of trusted associates colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech |
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