Definition of Mafia
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : a secret criminal society of Sicily or Italy
b : a similarly conceived criminal organization in the U.S. also : a similar organization elsewhere the Japanese Mafia
c : a criminal organization associated with a particular traffic
the cocaine Mafia
2 often 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
Mafia
geographical nameDefinition of Mafia (Entry 2 of 2)
island of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean south of Zanzibar area 170 square miles (442 square kilometers), population 16,748
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quizWords of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quizTrue or False?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something a...
Take the quizSCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share Mafia
Time Traveler for Mafia
The first known use of Mafia was in 1866
See more words from the same year