Gangster Meaning
/ˈɡæŋ.stəː/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA member of a criminal or street gang.
nounA member of a professional criminal organization (in organized crime): a racketeer.
Sentence Examples
The bold man glanced at the gangster with hatred and contempt.
"Hey, you shut up! You talk too much," the gangster said.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The dangerous ____ was arrested for his crimes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The notorious ____ was finally arrested after a long investigation into his illegal activities.
Word Origin & History
From gang + -ster. First attested in 1884.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I looked at my team and thought, "Damn, now that was the most gangster move I have ever seen in my life. I think we just strong-armed a government official in Sierra Leone!""
— 2011, Isaiah Washington, Lavaille Lavette, A Man From Another Land: How Finding My Roots Changed My Life, New York, N.Y. […]: Center Street, →ISBN, page 121:
"Sampling is the most gangsta shit ever. Im finna steal yo life's work and make it into trap music"
— 2024 February 12, @Teller_Banks357, Twitter, archived from the original on 15 Jun 2024:
""Oh, soft ass pretty boy, trying to act all hard for his little girlfriend. Don't he know that we gangsta over here. We don't beef over females. Share and share alike," Corey said, laughing."
— 2016, Janae M. Robinson, Crumbling Down, →ISBN, page 75:
"everyone gangsta until NATO starts shipping Burger Kings onto the scene"
— 2022 May 10, @mr_gh0stly, Twitter, archived from the original on 15 Jun 2024:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The dangerous ____ was arrested for his crimes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The notorious ____ was finally arrested after a long investigation into his illegal activities.