Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged
Visual

ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Word Central
Spell It!

Mafia

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

Mafia

Main Entry:: Ma·fia
Pronunciation:: \ˈmä-fē-ə, ˈma-\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Mafia, Maffia, a Sicilian secret criminal society, from Italian dialect (Sicily), probably from mafiusu
Date:: 1875

1 a: a secret criminal society of Sicily or Italy b: a similarly conceived criminal organization in the United States ; also : a similar organization elsewhere <the Japanese Mafia> c: a criminal organization associated with a particular traffic <the cocaine Mafia>2often not capitalized : a group of people likened to the Mafia ; especially : a group of people of similar interests or backgrounds prominent in a particular field or enterprise : clique

Learn more about "Mafia" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "Mafia" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols