Meaning
underworld, organized crime
- The criminal underworld; habitual criminals and organized delinquency collectively.
In a sentence
La polizia locale combatte ogni giorno contro la malavita organizzata.
The local police fight against organized crime every day.
Molti giovani del quartiere rischiano di cadere nella malavita.
Many young people in the neighbourhood are at risk of falling into crime.
Quel locale non era altro che un covo della malavita.
That venue was nothing other than an underworld den.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| malavita | feminine · singular |
| malavite | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Compound of 'mala' + 'vita'. Typically used in the singular.
- Refers to criminal environments generally, whereas 'mafia' refers specifically to mafia syndicates.