gangsterishadj.
/ˈɡaŋstərɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈɡæŋstərɪʃ/ Reminiscent or characteristic of a gangster.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > criminality > [adjective] > of gang
racketeering1928
gangsterish1934
society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > [adjective] > relating to crime > organized
gangland1912
racketeering1928
organized1929
gangsterish1934
1934 S. D. Schmalhausen New Road to Progress i. 27 The brutish and candidly gangsterish type now in control of all the strategic offices in a Hitlerized Germany.
1945 G. Millar Maquis viii. 165 The Resistance in the Haute-Saône followed more gangsterish lines than that of..the Doubs.
1961 M. McCarthy On Contrary 84 They were only artists and bit-actors, but they gave these affairs a look of gangsterish menace.
2005 S. Rushdie Shalimar the Clown 30 The gangsterish movie-star boyfriend who had broken that heart.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2013; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
adj.1934