Mafia
pronunciation
How to pronounce Mafia in British English:
UK [ˈmæfiə]
How to pronounce Mafia in American English:
US [ˈmɑfiə]
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- Noun:
- any tightly knit group of trusted associates
Word Origin
- mafia (n.)
- 1875, from Italian Mafia "Sicilian secret society of criminals" (the prevailing sense outside Sicily), earlier, "spirit of hostility to the law and its ministers," from Italian (Sicilian) mafia "boldness, bravado," probably from Arabic mahjas "aggressive, boasting, bragging." Or perhaps from Old French mafler "to gluttonize, devour." A member is a mafioso (1870), fem. mafiosa, plural mafiosi.
Example
- 1. The bill exempts inquiries into the mafia and terrorism .
- 2. The university was becoming more like a mafia organization , zhang said .
- 3. But calabria 's mafia is resistant .
- 4. Mafia control and police payoffs continued for some time .
- 5. The scandinavian mafia is taking over .