omertà

Definition

A code of silence amongst members of the Mafia that forbids divulging insider secrets to law enforcement, often also followed outside of the organization for fear of retaliation.

Etymology

PIE word *dʰéǵʰōm Unadapted borrowing from Italian omertà; further etymology uncertain—the following have been suggested: * from Spanish hombredad (“manliness”) (archaic), with the spelling aligned with Sicilian omu (“man”). Hombredad is derived from hombre (“man”) + -edad (variant of -dad (suffix forming nouns denoting a state of being)). However, the expected Sicilian output from a Spanish borrowing would have been *ummirità ~ *ummiritati. * from Sicilian umirtà (“humility”) (referring to the Mafia code’s requirement of obedience to the leader), from Latin humilitās (“obedience, submission”), from humilis (“humble; abject, submissive”) + -tās (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns denoting a state of being); with humilis from humus (“floor, ground; earth, soil”) + -ilis (suffix forming an adjective of relation). If so, the English word is a doublet of humility. However, the Oxford English Dictionary takes the view that this is “not well supported by the geographical distribution of the word”.

Example Sentences

• "Here we have the unfortunate heirloom of corrupt government—Omertà (a Sicilian word, meaning silence on the part of witnesses to a deed of blood). The Government arrests a delinquent and has him tried before a court; but the latter, for want of witnesses, cannot condemn. "We dare not speak," say the victims themselves; "the robber has powerful friends in these parts; we might be made to suffer worse than we have to complain of; it is better to bear with the past than to ruin the future.""
• "Where such a thing as Sicilian omertà exists, the most perfect laws, and the most honestly-intentioned executive in the world cannot escape falling into errors."
• "The power of the mafia in action is supported by a code of ethics, prevalent and exclusively respected throughout the island, called "Omertà." […] Omertà requires that your own hand alone should protect your head; but it also requires that in any circumstances in which it should fail to be able to do so, the man who has omertà at heart must bend his head and suffer. Vengeance, however tardy, and obtained by whatever amount of treachery and striking from behind, is in honourable conformity with omertà; but there must be no appeal to law."