From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmafiamaf‧i‧a /ˈmæfiə $ ˈmɑː-, ˈmæ-/ noun 1 → the Mafia2 GROUP OF PEOPLE[singular] a powerful group of people within an organization or profession who support and protect each other the medical mafia
Examples from the Corpus
mafia• These days they were more likely to be arm-breakers from the Bombay mafia.• But the drug mafia also has infiltrated other law-enforcement agencies, the army captain alleged.• the legal mafia• Or will the 40-year economic blockade be maintained simply to satisfy the second-generation Miami mafia?• Confronted with Dolle I felt myself becoming a punk mafia dude.• Collusion between the mafia, police and political parties was routine for decades.• He opened a haulage firm, sold jewellery and developed property interests in Miami, allegedly working with the mafia.Origin mafia (1800-1900) Italian Italian dialect, “great confidence, proud talk” 