Mafia

or Maf·fi·a

[ mah-fee-uh, maf-ee-uh ]

/ ˈmɑ fi ə, ˈmæf i ə /

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noun

a hierarchically structured secret organization allegedly engaged in smuggling, racketeering, trafficking in narcotics, and other criminal activities in the U.S., Italy, and elsewhere.

(in Sicily)

(lowercase) a popular spirit of hostility to legal restraint and to the law, often manifesting itself in criminal acts.
a 19th-century secret society, similar to the Camorra in Naples, that acted in this spirit.

(often lowercase) any small powerful or influential group in an organization or field; clique.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of Mafia

1870–75; <Italian <Sicilian: originally, elegance, bravura, courage; of obscure origin; the word's history prior to the 19th century is unknown, though many fictitious ideas have circulated regarding its age, source, etc., due to the organization's modern notoriety

Words nearby Mafia

MAF, Mafeking, mafenide, MAFF, maffick, Mafia, mafic, Mafikeng, mafioso, mafted, maftir

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Mafia in a sentence

If they aren’t exposed and discredited, we may witness the rise of a new Mafia.
What My Mobster Grandfather Understood About American Capitalism|Russell Shorto|March 17, 2021|Time
It wasn’t just his having mentored with Roy Cohn, the infamous Mafia lawyer, or rubbed shoulders throughout his career with guys like Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno.
What My Mobster Grandfather Understood About American Capitalism|Russell Shorto|March 17, 2021|Time
Magashule does have a bit of a dirty reputation, with the book Gangster State comparing him to a Mafia don.
OZY Highlights: Tool Up for a Better Tomorrow|Tracy Moran|November 22, 2020|Ozy
Like the Mafia Dons of old, they will be brought down by the IRS for their financial crimes.
My Dad served in WWII — he was a hero, not a loser|Peter Rosenstein|September 10, 2020|Washington Blade

For those who have forgotten their Mafia history, that’s the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
When Did Gavin McInnes Lose His Mind?|Eugene Robinson|September 6, 2020|Ozy
In the Latino community the legacy of the Mexican Mafia spans multiple generations.
The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs|Seth Ferranti|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Mexican Mafia run their empire from the penitentiary to the streets of LA.
The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs|Seth Ferranti|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Robert Morrill, a former gang detective and author of The Mexican Mafia/The Story, said there is little the authorities can do.
The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs|Seth Ferranti|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Much like the TV show Breaking Bad, the Mexican Mafia are real life methamphetamine kingpins.
The Mexican Mafia Is the Daddy of All Street Gangs|Seth Ferranti|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As described by its inventor, there is an Honest team and a Mafia team that compete against each other.
Where Chechens Go to Escape Their Surreal Past—and Risky Present|Anna Nemtsova|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Mafia is more ancient and has a direct ancestry for nearly a thousand years.
Italian Highways and Byways from a Motor Car|Francis Miltoun
Anyhow, he defied the Mafia, laid in a stock of revolvers and rifles, and rallied his friends around him.
Courts and Criminals|Arthur Train
The Mafia might almost be called a universal conspiracy against law and order.
Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art|Various
Either the Cammoristi, or the Mafia, or some such organisation.
A Cabinet Secret|Guy Boothby
Don't act this way with these people, because they are all of the (Mala-vita) Mafia and will do you harm in an instant.
The Barrel Mystery|William J. (William James) Flynn

British Dictionary definitions for Mafia

Mafia

Maffia

/ (ˈmæfɪə) /

noun

the Mafia 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

any group considered to resemble the MafiaSee also Black Hand, Camorra, Cosa Nostra

Word Origin for Mafia

C19: from Sicilian dialect of Italian, literally hostility to the law, boldness, perhaps from Arabic mahyah bragging

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Mafia

Mafia

[ (mah-fee-uh) ]

A criminal organization that originated in Sicily and was brought to the United States by Italian immigrants in the late nineteenth century. The Mafia is also called the Syndicate, the Mob, and the Cosa Nostra (Our Thing). The Mafia built its power through extortion (forcing tradesmen and shopkeepers to buy Mafia protection against destruction) and by dominating the bootlegging industry (the illegal production and distribution of liquor) during Prohibition. Members of the Mafia often lead outwardly respectable lives and maintain a variety of legitimate businesses as a front, or cover, for their criminal activities, which include extortion, gambling, and narcotics distribution.