mafioso
mafia-related
adjective mah-FYOH-zoh Rare
Origin: Sicilian dialect mafioso, of uncertain origin; possibly Arabic or pre-Roman.
Also means
mafioso (noun)
Usage Note
Mafioso as an adjective means 'relating to the mafia' (un'organizzazione mafiosa); as a noun it means a mafia member. The word entered English from Italian via Sicilian. In Italian it also has a figurative informal sense for anything organised in a shady, cartel-like way. Plural: mafiosi.
Examples
"Le attività mafiose vengono combattute dalla polizia."
Natural Translation
Mafia activities are fought by the police.
Literal Translation
The activities mafia-related are fought by the police.
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