maffia

noun

1. in Sicily,
   1. an attitude of popular hostility to law and government
   2. a secret society characterized by this attitude
2. 1. in the U.S. and elsewhere, a secret society, of Italian origin, engaged in such illegal activities as gambling, prostitution, and illicit trade in narcotics
   2. any group engaged in such activities: the Russian mafia
3. any exclusive or dominating group