n., pl., yakuza.
- A loose alliance of Japanese criminal organizations and illegal enterprises.
- A Japanese gangster.
[Japanese, good-for-nothing, gambler, racketeer.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.