Members of organized criminal groups that control territory and engage in illegal activities.
From 'gang' (possibly from Old Norse 'gangr' meaning going or journey) plus '-ster' suffix. The word gained modern meaning in early 1900s Chicago with organized crime.
Gangsters have become almost mythological in American culture—movies and shows glamorize them constantly, but the real history is communities destroyed by violence and drugs. The word carries both brutal reality and Hollywood fantasy, which is why it's complicated.
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