1
a
: 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
Examples of Mafia in a Sentence
a member of the Mafia
He's an important figure in the television mafia.
Recent Examples on the Web
Abrahams also directed Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990), a coming-of-age film starring Winona Ryder, and Jane Austen’s Mafia!, a 1998 Godfather spoof starring Jay Mohr and Christina Applegate.
—
Chris Koseluk, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2024
The Spanish-language album is the singer’s highest-charting yet and boasts guests including Romeo Santos, Bad Bunny, Latin Mafia Laura Pausini, Pharrell Williams and more.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
The latter album, comprising new recordings of material associated with Jones, included appearances by such diverse artists as Jennifer Hudson, Amy Winehouse, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Wyclef Jean and Three 6 Mafia.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
Later, at a listening party in 2019, Ken was with 808 Mafia’s Southside when Carti emerged from the shadows—the night ended with Ken and Carti in the studio together, bonding over clothes.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Mafia 
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Chris Koseluk, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2024
The Spanish-language album is the singer’s highest-charting yet and boasts guests including Romeo Santos, Bad Bunny, Latin Mafia Laura Pausini, Pharrell Williams and more.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
The latter album, comprising new recordings of material associated with Jones, included appearances by such diverse artists as Jennifer Hudson, Amy Winehouse, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Wyclef Jean and Three 6 Mafia.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
Later, at a listening party in 2019, Ken was with 808 Mafia’s Southside when Carti emerged from the shadows—the night ended with Ken and Carti in the studio together, bonding over clothes.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Mafia
Dictionary Entries Near Mafia
Cite this Entry
“Mafia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mafia. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Mafia
noun
Ma·fia
ˈmäf-ē-ə 
ˈmaf-
1
: a secret criminal society of Sicily or Italy
2
: a similar criminal organization in the U.S. or elsewhere
Geographical Definition
Mafia
geographical name
Ma·fia
ˈmä-fē-ə
ˈma-
island of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean south of Zanzibar area 170 square miles (442 square kilometers), population 16,748
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