Used by Sicilian gangs, it is now a separate branch of organized crime. It's meaning is literally, "This thing of ours". It goes back hundreds of years, when the Mafia was invented to protect Sicilian families from maurauding gangs and conquerers.
by Lisa April 19, 2005
Get the CosaNostra mug.Literally "Our case" or "Our business", Italian term. Especially used a lot in reference to the mafia. Also a synonym for mafia. Both sort of forbidden words, not used in Godfather 1.
The Cosa Nostra are fighting the Colombians.
by Niels November 12, 2004
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"Our Thing" or "This Thing Of Ours". The real name for the Mafia. Cosa Nostra is a crime sydicate that began in Sicily in the mid nineteenth century. A "Made Man" is a man that has become a member of Cosa Nostra. According to original Cosa Nostra rules, you had to be of Sicilian descent to be a member, you couldn't have a close relative that was a police officer, etc. Many political leaders have been murdered by Cosa Nostra.
by Fear The Stiletto August 21, 2011
Get the Cosa Nostra mug.Italian for either "This thing of ours" or "Our Thing" depending on who's translating. Used as a euphemism for the Italian mafia.
by Jimmy February 6, 2005
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Get the Costanostra mug.the name for mainly the american mafia, also other offshore italian based mafia organizations, aswell as the huddersfield mafia in england known as the tetsuo family.
by ntfx April 3, 2003
Get the la cosa nostra mug.A momentary lapse in judgement or thought due to temporary down-syndrome; momentary coanocytis; see coanocytis for more details
*Coan returns pickle ball to stranger and stranger thanks him*
Coan: "You're good. Thank you."
Grant: "Doge, did you just have a coanostrokus?!"
Coan: "You're good. Thank you."
Grant: "Doge, did you just have a coanostrokus?!"
by tankusdaddius999 April 27, 2023
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