English

Alternative forms

• Maffia (less common)

Proper noun

the Mafia

1. (specifically) An international criminal organization of Sicilian origin operating in Italy and the United States.
2. (by extension) Any organized crime syndicate operating internationally in high-level organized crime; often with a modifying adjective, such as a nationality.

   Somehow he managed to upset the Russian Mafia.

3. A party game modelling a conflict between an informed minority (the mafia) and an uninformed majority (the innocents). Each player is secretly assigned a role within one of these teams, and the innocents attempt to identify the mafia members before they are all "murdered".
4. Alternative letter-case form of mafia (an entity which attempts to control a specified arena).

Synonyms

• (organization of Sicilian origin): Cosa Nostra, mob
• (any organized crime syndicate): mob

Derived terms

• mafia
• mafia state
• Mafioso
• Mafiya (rare, used to describe Russian "mafias")

Translations

See also

• Camorra
• capo
• godfather
• goodfella
• 'Ndrangheta
• omertà
• Thuggee
• Triad
• Yakuza

German

Alternative forms

• Maffia

Etymology

From Italian mafia.

Noun

Mafia f ‎(genitive Mafia, plural Mafias)

1. Mafia

English

Noun

mafia ‎(plural mafias)

1. A hierarchically structured secret organisation engaged in illegal activities like distribution of narcotics, gambling and extortion.
2. A crime syndicate.
3. A trusted group of associates, as of a political leader.
4. (in compound terms such as "moral mafia") An entity which attempts to control a specified arena.

   the digital mafia

   the literary mafia

Translations

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from English mafia.

Noun

mafia c (singular definite mafiaen, plural indefinite mafiaer)

1. A mafia.

Inflection

Derived terms

• mafiafamilie

Finnish

Noun

mafia

1. mafia

Declension

French

Noun

mafia f ‎(plural mafias)

1. The Mafia

Italian

Etymology

Most likely from Arabic ماجاس ‎(“bragging, boasting, aggressive”). ^[1], though French mafler ‎(“to devour, gluttonize”) is considered another possible source.

Noun

mafia f ‎(plural mafie)

1. The Mafia (International organized crime organization)
2. mafia (Individual branch)
3. arrogance

Derived terms

• mafioso

Descendants

• German: Mafia

References

1. ↑ Shanty, Mishra, Organized Crime: From Trafficking to Terrorism, Volume 1

Spanish

Etymology

From Italian

Noun

mafia f ‎(plural mafias)

1. Mafia (Italian Mafia)
2. Mafia (any criminal organisation)

Synonyms

• (criminal organisation): cartel

Related terms

• mafioso