mafioso

[ mah-fee-oh-soh ]

noun

, (sometimes initial capital letter)

, plural ma·fi·o·si [mah-fee-, oh, -see], ma·fi·o·sos.

1. a member of a Mafia or of a mafia.

mafioso

/ ˌmæfɪˈəʊsəʊ; mafiˈoso /

noun

1. a person belonging to the Mafia

Word History and Origins

Origin of mafioso¹

First recorded in 1870–75; from Sicilian mafiusu “arrogance, bravado,” of disputed origin; perhaps ultimately from Arabic marfūḍ “outcast” (compare archaic Italian malfusso “wretched,” archaic Spanish marfuz “deceitful, rejected”); perhaps ultimately from Arabic mahyāṣ “braggart, show-off”

Example Sentences

Black joked, “I’m Mafioso, bruh,” illustrating the way that Trump has treated pardons and commutations: like gifts from a mob boss.

From Seattle Times

Hopefully, Cohen will be as successful in taking down the most powerful criminal to ever occupy the White House as Gravano was in taking down Gotti, the most powerful mafioso in U.S. history.

From Salon

His model, Trump told biographer-turned-critic Tim O’Brien, is none other than the murderous mafioso John Gotti.

From Los Angeles Times

Turns out that betting your political career on someone who models himself after a mafioso is not a great long-term plan for security.

From Salon

In a striking appearance in season three of “The Sopranos” in 2001, he plays Bobby Baccalieri, Sr., an elderly Mafioso with lung cancer who pulls off one last hit before a coughing fit leads to him dying in a car accident.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• bandit
• criminal
• crook
• hoodlum
• hooligan
• mobster
• racketeer
• robber
• soldier
• thug