No. 3,024 in French
mafia
A criminal organization operating through illegal activities and secret networks.
In a sentence
La mafia exerce une grande influence sur les affaires locales.
The mafia exerts a great influence on local affairs.
Here, 'mafia' refers explicitly to organized crime groups, illustrating its primary meaning.
Dans cet entreprise, c'est comme une mafia, tout reste entre proches.
In this company, it's like a mafia, everything stays among close associates.
In this context, 'mafia' is used metaphorically to describe a situation of exclusivity or close-knit operations.
Il a vu un film fascinant sur la mafia sicilienne hier soir.
He watched a fascinating movie about the Sicilian mafia last night.
Here, 'mafia' refers to a specific group, the Sicilian mafia, used in its cultural and historical sense.
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