[Ma.fia] n [Mafia, Maffia, a Sicilian secret criminal society, fr. It dial. (Sicily)] (1875) 1 a: a secret criminal society of Sicily or Italy b: a similarly conceived criminal organization in the U.S.; also: a similar organization elsewhere "the Japanese ~" c: a criminal organization associated with a particular traffic "the cocaine ~"
2. often not cap: a group of people likened to the Mafia; esp: a group of people of similar interests or backgrounds prominent in a particular field or enterprise: clique