from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Maffia \Maf"fi*a\, Mafia \Ma"fi*a\, n. [It. maffia.]
1. A secret society which organized in Sicily as a political
organization, but is now widespread among Italians, and is
used to further or protect private interests, reputedly by
illegal methods; called also the {Sicilian Mafia}.
[WordNet sense 2]
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2. A group of loosely associated of criminal organizations in
the United States, some having ties to the Sicilian Mafia,
and organized in "families"; the term is applied to the
entire group of organizations, or to any one local group.
Also, loosely, organized groups of criminals anywhere, as
the Russian mafia. [WordNet sense 1]
Syn: syndicate, mob, Cosa Nostra, La Cosa Nostra, organized
crime.
[WordNet 1.6 + PJC]
3. Any tightly knit group of trusted associates having strong
control or influence in some area; as, Kennedy and his
Irish Mafia. [informal] [WordNet sense 3]
[PJC]