1875, from Italian Mafia "Sicilian secret society of criminals" (the prevailing sense outside Sicily), earlier, "spirit of hostility to the law and its ministers," from Italian (Sicilian) mafia "boldness, bravado," probably from Arabic mahjas "aggressive, boasting, bragging." Or perhaps from Old French mafler "to gluttonize, devour." A member is a mafioso (1870), fem. mafiosa, plural mafiosi.
实用例句
1. It would be surprising were the Mafia not to have muscled in.
如果黑手党不插上一脚，那反倒令人奇怪了。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The Mafia is by no means ignored by Italian television.
意大利电视台绝对不会放过对黑手党的关注。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The government rushed through legislation aimed at Mafia leaders.
政府匆忙通过了针对黑手党首领的立法。
来自柯林斯例句
4. A cabinet minister came under investigation for links to the Mafia.
