mobster
UK: ˈmɒbstə | US: ˈmɑːbstər
n. a member of a criminal gang or organized crime syndicate, especially in the context of the Mafia or similar groups.
mobster = mob<organized criminal group> + ster<agent noun suffix>
- mob: Derived from Latin mobile vulgus ("fickle crowd"), shortened to mob in English (early 18th century). Later associated with disorderly groups, then specifically criminal organizations.
- ster: An agentive suffix of Germanic origin (Old English -estre), used to form nouns indicating a person associated with an activity (e.g., gangster, spinster).
Etymology Origin:
The word mobster emerged in early 20th-century American English, combining mob (by then slang for criminal networks) with -ster to denote a participant. It reflects the cultural framing of organized crime as a collective ("mob") with individual enforcers ("mobsters").
The notorious mobster was finally arrested after decades of evading the law.
Hollywood often glamorizes the life of a mobster in crime dramas.
The police uncovered a mobster’s hidden stash of illegal weapons.
He feared retaliation after testifying against a powerful mobster.
The mobster’s influence extended into politics and labor unions.