gangster
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɡæŋstɝ// UK //ɡˈæŋstɐ// gang·ster
n. a member of a criminal group, especially one who uses violence or threats to control business or territory.
n. a member of an organized criminal group, typically involved in illegal activities such as extortion, gambling, or drug trafficking.
The local gangster demanded money from every shop owner.
The new mayor promised to clean up the city by arresting the most powerful gangster in the district.
In the 1920s, the gangster was a complex figure, representing both the brutality of organized crime and the allure of rapid wealth in a changing society.
From gang + -ster. First attested in 1884.