mafia

noun MAH-fyah Less Common

Origin: Sicilian dialect; origin uncertain, possibly Arabic mahyas (bragging) or a Sicilian adjective meaning bold

Also means

organised crime

Usage Note

Mafia originally referred specifically to the Sicilian Cosa Nostra but is now used in Italian (and globally) for any large criminal organisation. In Italy, distinct organisations include the Camorra (Naples), Ndrangheta (Calabria), and Sacra Corona Unita (Puglia). Used metaphorically it can mean any powerful clique operating outside the rules.

Examples

"La mafia controlla alcuni quartieri della città."

Natural Translation

The mafia controls some neighbourhoods of the city.

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