Definition of the word Mafia

Pronunciation of vocabulary Mafia

Mafianoun

Mafia

/ˈmæfiə//ˈmɑːfiə/

Origin of the word Mafia

Word OriginItalian (Sicilian dialect), originally in the sense ‘bragging’.

Example of vocabulary Mafianamespace

meaning

a secret organization of criminals, that is active especially in Sicily, Italy and the US

  • a Mafia boss
  • Large areas of the city were controlled by the Mafia.
  • The Mafia was/were still in control at that time.
meaning

an organized group of criminals similar to the Mafia in the way it operates

  • the rise of criminal mafias in various parts of Europe
meaning

a group of people within an organization or a community who use their power to get advantages for themselves

  • a member of the local mafia
  • Politics is still dominated by the middle-class mafia.

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