gangster
gangster Lexical Profile
gangster Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A member of an organized gang of criminals, especially one involved in racketeering, extortion, or illicit trade.
"The classic film chronicles the rise and fall of a notorious Prohibition-era gangster."
• adjective
(slang) Impressively bold, stylish, authentic, or fearless.
"Negotiating a full scholarship on the spot was a pretty gangster move."
Word Nuance & Usage
In contemporary slang, the spelling variant 'gangsta' is frequently used to denote a specific subgenre of hip-hop music or as a predicate adjective meaning stylish, bold, or impressive, whereas 'gangster' remains the standard form for a member of an organized crime syndicate.
• Rhymes for gangster
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in late 19th-century American English from 'gang' (from Old English 'gang', meaning a journey, passage, or group going together) combined with the agentive suffix '-ster' (from Old English '-estre'). Originally used in political journalism to describe corrupt party operatives, it became widely associated with organized crime syndicates during the Prohibition era of the 1920s.