mafioso
Americannoun
plural
mafiosi, mafiososnoun
Etymology
Origin of mafioso
First recorded in 1870–75; from Sicilian mafiusu “arrogance, bravado,” of disputed origin; perhaps ultimately from Arabic marfūḍ “outcast” (compare archaic Italian malfusso “wretched,” archaic Spanish marfuz “deceitful, rejected”); perhaps ultimately from Arabic mahyāṣ “braggart, show-off”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the press conference given by police following the arrest, Palermo prosecutor Maurizio de Lucia said that Messina Denaro had likely been aided by the "Mafioso bourgeoisie" - referring to local professionals, entrepreneurs and politicians.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2023
A connoisseur of Italian culture, particularly food and music, he was not inclined to play a Mafioso.
From New York Times • Jul. 25, 2022
I mean, he’s giving us the Mafioso story, the narrative crafted about the gangster — but it was the remorse, the regret, the grief, the horror, the suffering.
From Washington Post • Dec. 19, 2019
Cohler's role as venture capital Mafioso comes with experience: Before he started at Facebook, Cohler was protégé to Reid Hoffman, another member of the PayPal Mafia.
From Inc • May 14, 2012
He recalled again the faint, grave lines that had gathered about the Count's eyes, where there had never been aught but wrinkles of merriment, and he recalled also that word "Mafioso."
From The Net by Beach, Rex Ellingwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
